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Anti-LGBTQ+ bill case adjourned to July 29
The parties in a case at the High Court challenging the approval process of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill have been directed by the court to file their written submissions.
This follows the adjournment of the case to July 29. The plaintiff, Paul Boama Sefa who is a farmer, in his writ says the speaker of parliament did not adhere to the dictates of the Public Financial Management Act when he allowed for the bill to be taken through the approval process.
The plaintiff asserts that the bill did not have an accompanying fiscal impact analysis stating the estimated effect on revenues and expenditures for the financial year it is to be passed, in contravention of Section 100(1) of the Public Financial Management Act.
The case is the first to be heard since the Chief Justice decided to allow live media coverage for all cases related to the anti-LGBT+ bill.
The judge presiding over the case, however, adjourned the case to July 29 for the parties to file their written submissions.
The plaintiff has four weeks from today to file his submission. The defendants, including the speaker of parliament and the Attorney-General, will then file their respective submissions after the plaintiff has done his.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Sammy Awuku, has expressed deep sorrow following the sudden passing of Isaac Batsa, the constituency secretary for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker issued a statement on Tuesday reacting to the news, which has shocked the local political community.
Mr.Awuku praised the late NDC secretary for his bipartisan approach to local governance.
He noted that despite their different political affiliations, Batsa consistently rose above party lines to serve the constituency with diligence.
The MP revealed that the news was particularly shocking given that he had last interacted with Batsa just three days prior on Saturday.
Concluding his statement, Sammy Awuku extended his heartfelt condolences to Batsa’s family, the constituency and regional executives, and the entire NDC fraternity, wishing the deceased peaceful eternal rest.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
