The Office of the Special Prosecutor has filed a certiorari application to quash the decision by the high court to abridge the time for the hearing of the confirmation application against the embattled former Sanitation and Water Resources Minister, Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah.
The High Court on October 11, 2023, changed the return date to hearing the application to confirm the order to re-seize monies found in Madam Dapaah’s house and refreeze her bank accounts from October 12 to October 18.
But the office of the special prosecutor says it wants the decision quashed.
Director of Prosecution for the office, Dr. Isidore Tuffour explained in court today Wednesday, October 18, 2023 that ‘the application for certiorari is grounded on certain aspects of the 11 October 2023 ruling specifically in respect of the supplementary affidavit which the applicant intends to rely on in the hearing of his substantive motion but which in the consideration of the applicant has been impliedly excluded by the 11 October ruling.’
Dr. Tuffour noted that the office has thus ‘filed a motion for stay of proceedings of this court filed yesterday scheduled for October 25, 2023.’
Lawyers for the embattled former Sanitation Minister, however, accused the office of the special prosecutor of a ‘clearly orchestrated plan by the applicant to delay or flee the hearing of his (Special Prosecutor) own application which is causing injury to the respondent and infringing upon the first respondent’s economic right.’
The leading lawyer of Cecilia Dapaah, Victoria Barth indicated that the Office of the Special has not served them with the processes for these new applications.
Her lawyers wanted to continue with the hearing of the confirmation application as they believed the certiorari and stay of proceedings applications had no bearing on the confirmation application.
But the Judge adjourned the case to October 25, 2023, as the Chief Justice is yet to make her decision if he should be recused from the case or not.
