A Professor at the University of Ghana, Ransford Gyampo has said that he is concerned about the indefinite adjournment of the case against the anti-gay bill by the Supreme Court.
To him, there are implications for the indefinite adjournment of the case on the governance of this country.
“There are implications of the indefinite adjournment on what Parliament will be doing and what the president is supposed to be doing.
“The president is supposed to be signing a bill into law he is saying that it is in with the court and so he is suspending it, Parliament is also saying that if you don’t do this, I am not doing certain roles that are supposed t be performed by parliament and the executives are supposed to be suspended indefinitely and so I am I am worried about the indefinite bit,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, May 11.
He added “But to be fair adjournment a better indefinitely could mean the matter can be called tomorrow but the whole idea of indefinite adjournment also could be interpreted to mean adjournment of the case in perpetuity.”
The Supreme Court adjourned the case against the anti-LGBTQI bill indefinitely.
The apex court on Wednesday, May 8 held the view that the documents presented to it by the Speaker of Parliament contained intemperate language. Hence they have directed the lawyers of the Speaker to file new documents.
Prior to adjournment, the court had dismissed the preliminary objection by the lawyer of the Speaker of Parliament, Thaddeus Sory in the case against the anti-LGBTQI bill.
When the court sat to hear the case which was carried live on television, Lawyers for broadcast journalist Richard Sky who filed the case, sought to amend one of the reliefs on the motion for injunction.
Lawyer for the Speaker of Parliament Thaddeus Sory objected to this.
He argued that he had already indicated in documents filed earlier that his side objected to how that relief had been couched and so allowing them to amend it would defeat his objection.
After hearing the arguments, the Justices of the Apex Court chaired by Chief Justice Gertrude Torkoornoo ruled that “our considered view is that the preliminary objection is unnecessary and does not seek to assist any process before this court. Every party has an inherent right to present the appropriate formulation of their reliefs or other process before the court to enable the court to determine the real matters in controversy. The objection is dismissed.”
The Chief Justice further told the lawyers of the speaker that “You have taken our time and energy for nothing.”
Ghanaian Journalist, Richard Dela Sky, and Researcher Dr. Amanda Odoi are set to appear before the Supreme Court Wednesday, May 8, 2024, to move their respective lawsuits challenging the passage of the anti-LGBTQ+ Bill.
