A co-sponsor of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has criticized the Supreme Court for its handling of two cases filed against the bill.
The Supreme Court adjourned these cases indefinitely, which Mr. Dafeamekpor believes was inappropriate.
He argued that the court should have set a specific date for the adjournment and should have enforced strict timelines for the filing of documents by the parties involved.
“What troubled me is the fact that the Speaker requested for expeditious hearing and this happened late March and we are in May. So it is taking the court about six weeks to see to a request of expeditious hearing and I thought that by practice when such things happen, the court will be in a hurry to deal with such matters.
“They would have adjourned the matter to a definite date and then within that timeframe, ask the parties to file the processes they have directed them to file. But what we saw is that the matter has been adjourned indefinitely and I thought that when the Speaker as a party in a matter prays for expeditious hearing, it should matter.
“Because when the Attorney General made a request to the court that my matter for instance be given expeditious hearing, you saw the alacrity with which it was handled.”
Private Legal Practitioner Martin Kpebu commented on the development, suggesting that the case may be recalled by the end of June or early July, considering the timelines set by the court for the filing of documents.
“If you look at the time lines they gave, it is possible that they can return to court by ending of June. You see, the court gave Richard Sky up to 17th of June to file and he asked the Attorney General and the rest to respond within 7 days..
“So if he is able to follow up within 4 days, it will be served on the Attorney General which is 17 plus 4 and that will be 21st.
“Then the Attorney General and the rest have 7 days, so that will take us to 28th May, then it will take a few days for the documents to be sent to the judges and the registrar will now confer with the Chief justice to get a new date.
“So if everything goes according to plan, the new date will be announced ending of June.”
Academics and analysts are weighing in on the Chief Justice’s decision to allow a live telecast of the case, as well as the Attorney General’s push for more cases of public interest to be broadcast live.
Vice President of the GJA, Linda Asante Adjei, is urging caution, warning that some journalists may abuse the process.
“We need to have some kind of orientation for journalists who will be covering such cases,” she added.
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