The Supreme Court has ordered the legal team representing the individual attempting to block President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo from signing the Human and Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill (also known as the anti-gay bill) to submit a new motion, accompanied by a supporting affidavit and statement of case, to secure an interlocutory injunction related to the main lawsuit.
A five-member panel of the Supreme Court, presided over by Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, has set a deadline of May 17 for the legal teams of the Speaker of Parliament and the Attorney General to file their respective responses.
When the case, initiated by broadcaster Richard Sky, was brought before the court yesterday (May 8, 2024), the main agenda was to address fundamental issues hindering progress on the substantive case.
The plaintiff’s legal team, led by Paa Kwesi Abaidoo, sought the court’s permission to file supplementary affidavits in support of their injunction and to amend their reliefs.
However, Thaddeus Sory, counsel for the Speaker of Parliament, raised a preliminary legal objection to the motion, arguing that the proposed amendments to the reliefs were contradictory to his objections.
In response, the court dismissed the preliminary objection, stating that it was unnecessary and did not assist the court in any meaningful way. Justice Torkornoo emphasized that all parties have the right to present their arguments and processes before the court accurately.
Regarding language usage, the Supreme Court expressed concern about the language employed by both the plaintiff and the Speaker of Parliament’s legal team, deeming it inappropriate and scandalous.
Justice Torkonoo specifically mentioned the term “these persons” used by the plaintiff to refer to private members and highlighted the use of “despicable” and “desecration” in the Speaker of Parliament’s processes.
