00:00The Judiciary is seeking a meeting with the Minister of Homeland Security to discuss the issue of virtual court appearances from police stations and other matters in support of early access to justice.
00:13The request comes via statement from the Judiciary in which it takes note of an express article published on Thursday 29th May 2025 that says,
00:25It explains via the release that the existing arrangement does not create courtrooms out of police stations, but rather just puts the accused in front of a computer for a virtual appearance.
00:46It further states that for subsequent hearings, including trials, the accused persons appear from either A, a prison, if the person is not on bail, B, a Judiciary Virtual Access Customer Centre, VACC, some of which are in court buildings, or C, a courtroom in which the matter is to be heard in person.
01:09Additionally, it says, it is important to highlight that the TTPS previously informed the Judiciary that it could no longer man the courts except to be present where there are hearings with prisoners in the dock.
01:24It notes that that arrangement is currently in place.
01:27And the release states that the Judiciary also asked the TTPS to support the virtual access customer centre facilities when accused persons are appealing virtually from them.
01:40In conclusion, the Judiciary notes that it would not like to revert to what it says is a lower and slower level of activity caused by the inability to have virtual hearings or by the high expenditure required to transport all accused persons for each appearance or adjournment.
02:02Nicole M. Romany, TV6 News.
Comments