Ofoase Ayirebi MP Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has reaffirmed his call for equal application of the law after the Supreme Court dismissed his application seeking to halt full trials at selected High Courts during the legal vacation.
The application challenged the decision by Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie to issue warrants allowing selected High Court judges to sit during the legal vacation, which runs from August 1 to September 30.
Following the ruling, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said the Supreme Court had dismissed his injunction application while the apex court prepares to determine his substantive case challenging the constitutionality of conducting full trials during the vacation.
Justice Gabriel Pwamang, who delivered the ruling, said the Chief Justice’s decision was aimed at ensuring the speedy hearing of criminal cases, including cases involving galamsey and narcotics. He maintained that prioritising certain cases did not amount to an infringement of the rights to equality before the law or a fair trial.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said he and his lawyers had requested a certified copy of the ruling for further study and advice, noting that a date for the hearing of the substantive case had not yet been set.
He said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) would continue to pursue what it considers appropriate avenues to address the alleged selective application of laws.
“We in the NPP believe that justice must not be selective,” he said, adding that the party would use “the best means at our disposal” to pursue the matter.
The Supreme Court’s ruling allows the specialised courts designated by the Chief Justice to continue hearing cases during the legal vacation while the substantive constitutional challenge remains pending.