By Edzorna Francis Mensah
The Supreme Court on Wednesday, March, 27, 2024 has thrown-out an application for an injunction against approving President Akufo-Addo’s new ministerial appointees filed by South Dayi MP.
The application, filed by Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, was deemed frivolous and an abuse of court processes by the apex court.
Reports from the court revealed interesting twists during proceedings as the Supreme Court presided over the application filed by the National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament, as the fate of newly nominated ministers and reshuffled ministers appointed by President Akufo-Addo hung in the balance.
Dafeamekpor’s lawsuit forced the Speaker of Parliament to adjourn the House sine die without taking the Appointments’ Committee reports, a decision that has caused both sides of the House to engage in media war.
In his lawsuit against the Speaker of Parliament (1st defendant) and the Attorney General (2nd defendant), Dafeamekpor argued that the President should have sought parliamentary approval before reassigning ministers whose appointments were revoked.
Meanwhile, both the applicant Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor and his lawyers were not in court and case was stood down for the court to verify some facts of the case, particularly regarding whether the bailiff served the parties, especially the Plaintiff, Mr Dafeamekpor, with a hearing notice.
In his submission the Attorney General criticised the conduct of the MP’s lawyer, describing it as the highest form of disrespect to the apex court and as professional misconduct.
Despite the absence of Mr Dafeamekpor and his lawyer, the court proceeded with the case, which took an interesting turn as the lawyer for the NDC legislator refused to accept court documents to be served on him, including a hearing notice.
The lawyers for the Speaker of Parliament opposed the injunction application, arguing that it did not satisfy the requirements for an injunction to be granted.
The five judges led by the Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo, Justice Kingsley Koomson, Justice Mariama Owusu, Justice Amadu Tanko, and Justice Yaw Darko Asare have unanimously thrown the case out.
