Supreme Court says it is ready to sit on LGBTQ cases

The Judicial Service of Ghana has given updates on the two anti-LGBTQ cases before Ghana’s Supreme Court.

In a statement issued by its Communication Department, the Judicial Service said it was ready to adjudicate all cases that were ripped for hearing.

The statement is in response media reports of the intentions of the Sponsors of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and the Ghana Family Values Bill to protest against the Chief Justice on September 17, 2024, following delays in hearing the matter.

The Judicial Service indicated that in the said media report, the Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, who is one of the sponsors of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill (Anti- LGBTQ Bill) indicated they would march against the Chief Justice on September 17, 2024, dubbed the “Family Values March.”

The Member of Parliament, according to the report, indicated that the decision to march was based on the decision of the Supreme Court on July 17, 2024, deferring the ruling on an interlocutory injunction to restrain Parliament from transmitting the Anti-LGBTQ Bill to the President for Assent until the substantive case was heard and determined.

The report described the decision of the Supreme Court as “deliberate and malicious” attempt by the Chief Justice to delay the passage of the Bill into law, hence necessitating the protest march to demand a timetable for the hearing of the case.

The statement recalled how the apex Court of the land conducted processes in relation to the hearing of the two anti- LGBTQ cases before it.

The cases were titled Richard Sky verses Parliament of Ghana, the Attorney General and Dr Amanda Odoi verses the Speaker of Parliament and the Attorney General.

According to the statement, the Supreme Court in its ruling held that “we are convinced that the matters raised in this application can be better dealt with by obtaining all facts through an early trial, than by considering the peculiar merit of the purposes of this application at this time.

We also hold the view that an early trial of the action will serve the cause of justice, in view of the fact that it will render a clear view of the Constitutional issues raised, than a sustained dispute over interlocutory matter.”

According to the statement, the parties in the case have not completed the work they ought to do before a hearing by the Supreme Court could be conducted.

The statement said, “The Judicial Service wishes to assure that public that registries of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and High Court are opened throughout the legal vacation, Christmas and Easter vacations to receive all processes that are due to be filed.

The General Public is further assured of the Judiciary ‘s readiness to adjudicate any matter that is ripe for hearing, according to the statement.

Source: GNA

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