‘My lawyer is ill and in and out of hospital’- Hanan explains Dame’s absence from court

Hanan Abdul-Wahab, the former CEO of NAFCO, appeared in Accra High Court on August 12 with his wife Faiza, but his lead counsel, former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame, was absent. Mr Abdul-Wahab informed the court that Mr Dame was unable to attend due to illness and hospitalization. This absence occurred amidst a disagreement over the court trial's timing, which was scheduled during the legal vacation period from August 1 to September 30.

Mr Dame had previously written to Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie to object to the trial proceeding during this vacation, arguing that the trial had not commenced before the recess and that there were no exceptional circumstances to justify the trial's scheduling during this period. In a letter dated August 5, Mr Dame stated that he would not participate in proceedings held during the legal vacation, contending that starting the trial during this time contravened standard judicial practices.

The legal teams of other prominent figures, including Kwabena Adu-Boahene and Samuel Atta Akyea, have also voiced their objections to court proceedings during the vacation. This situation has sparked a broader discussion within Ghana's legal community regarding the appropriateness of holding substantive criminal trials during the legal vacation and whether lawyers who are unavailable can be forced to attend court appearances.

The Ghana Bar Association has called for the Chief Justice to uphold established practices regarding the legal vacation. However, Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai contended that lawyers cannot unilaterally decide if court proceedings should continue during the vacation.