Anti-gay suit: Give us early date to expedite hearing – lawyers for Parliament ask Supreme Court

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The lawyers for the Parliament of Ghana have written to the Supreme Court, asking the apex court to expedite the hearing of Richard Sky’s and Dr. Amanda Odoi’s interlocutory injunction cases against the legislature over the anti-LGBTQ+ bill.

Sky and Dr. Odai have filed independent cases challenging the constitutionality of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill 2024, passed by the House a month ago [February 28].

Amongst the reliefs sought from the apex court in both suits is an order restraining President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo from assenting the bill into law.

In a letter to the Supreme Court’s Registrar, dated Thursday, March 28, 2024, lawyers for Parliament, Sory at Law Barristers and Solicitors, said, “It will accordingly be appreciated if the parties are given a very early date to expedite the hearing of the applications pending before the Court. We trust that as the applications raise matters of public interest, you will give our letter the attention it deserves.”

The lawyers contend that while the cases of Richard Dela Sky and Dr. Odoi are still ongoing, a similar case involving the MP for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has already been heard.

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The lawyers further maintained that both cases are identical to the South Dayi MP’s suit, which was heard and determined on Wednesday, March 27.

“We have observed that in an identical situation, in the case of Rockson Nelson Este K. Dafeamekpor v The Speaker & Anor in which two applications for orders of interlocutory injunction were filed on the 21st and 25th of March respectively, the registry of the Court fixed the said applications for hearing notwithstanding the fourteen-day rule above referred to resulting in their determination on the 27th of March 2024 although the application in the said suit was served on the first Defendant together with the regular fourteen days directive.”

Meanwhile, the Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, said he filed for an expedited hearing in the matter of the South Dayi MP, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor.