‘There is no emergency’ – Godfred Dame criticises vacation hearing in Hanan case

Former Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame has expressed his disapproval of the decision to hold proceedings related to a case against former NAFCO CEO Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba during the legal vacation. Speaking to journalists after a hearing on August 17, Dame argued that there is no pressing need to schedule the trial during this period, as it contradicts traditional judicial practices.

Dame questioned the rationale behind the court's decision to proceed with the case during the vacation, stating that there is no emergency that warrants such an action. He recalled that in his career, courts only sat during the legal vacation in urgent election-related matters and emphasized that the substantive case in one such instance was later adjourned until October.

He also pointed out that seeking a stay of proceedings is not an uncommon practice, citing previous cases involving the National Communications Authority. Despite his tenure as Attorney General, Dame argued that he always adhered to established procedures when attempting to expedite cases. He refused to schedule the hearing without the consent of the parties involved and emphasized that judicial traditions and established conventions should be upheld to ensure fairness.

The decision to hold the trial during the legal vacation has created unnecessary controversy, according to Dame. The Accra High Court has since suspended proceedings in the criminal trial of Hanan Abdul-Wahab and his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni, pending the outcome of an injunction application before the Supreme Court challenging the judiciary's directive for selected criminal trials to proceed during the legal vacation.