SC Affirms ‘Selective’ Vacation Sittings, Dismisses Injuction

The Supreme Court (SC) has ruled that the Chief Justice's warrant allowing selected criminal trials to continue during the legal vacation will remain in effect, dismissing an application for an injunction. Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie affirmed that the expedited trials of former appointees from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) can proceed.

The High Court judge, Justice Gabriel Pwamang, determined that there is no established precedent for an injunction against the Chief Justice's action and that the framers of the constitution deemed speedy trials a fundamental right. Justice Pwamang emphasized that the fact that not all criminal cases are heard during the vacation does not hinder the administration of justice.

The opposition, led by MP Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, challenged the constitutionality of the Chief Justice's directive, arguing that it is discriminatory and promotes selective justice. The application for an injunction requested the court to restrain the trial judges from proceeding with the trials until the constitutionality of the warrant was determined.

The defense argued that the continuation of the impugned court sittings would not render the relief sought futile and that preserving the status quo while the case is in progress would not cause irreparable harm to the accused parties.