Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie rejects GBA call to halt vacation trials

Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has rejected demands from the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) to halt court proceedings during the annual legal vacation. The dispute arose after the GBA appealed against notices served to several law firms, including Zoe, Akyea & Co, Dame & Partners, and Sam Okudzeto & Associates, which required lawyers to appear for part-heard criminal cases under special warrants.

The GBA argued that according to High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, the vacation period from August 1 to September 30 is intended for rest. While acknowledging that Vacation Courts handle urgent interlocutory matters, the GBA maintained that they should not conduct full trials, especially if counsel is unavailable. The association stated that lawyers should not be compelled to appear and that cases should be adjourned rather than forcing clients to represent themselves.

In response, Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie emphasized that personal travel plans do not grant lawyers the power to stop sitting judges from conducting business. He noted that adjournments are judicial acts decided by presiding judges, not administrative orders from the Chief Justice.

In a related development, an Accra High Court judge issued an ultimatum to former National Signals Bureau boss Kwabena Adu-Boahene and his wife to either produce their lawyers or cross-examine a prosecution witness themselves after their legal team failed to appear for a scheduled hearing.