Kojo Oppong Nkrumah sues Ghana Chief Justice over vacation trials

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, a Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, has filed a lawsuit at the Supreme Court challenging the Chief Justice’s decision to hold criminal trials during the legal vacation. The suit names Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie and the Attorney-General as defendants, alleging that the warrants directing certain judges to sit during the vacation are unconstitutional. Oppong Nkrumah argues that prioritizing “special criminal cases” while other matters remain pending constitutes “selective justice” and violates constitutional principles of equality before the law.

The legal challenge has sparked debate among scholars and officials. Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare questioned the constitutional basis of the suit, arguing that judicial case management does not inherently violate equality. Meanwhile, MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah raised concerns regarding the potential for political targeting, noting that the cases being heard involve individuals associated with political parties.

In response to the controversy, Prof. Ransford Gyampo of the Ghana Shippers Authority has called for a complete overhaul of the legal vacation system, suggesting a roster-based approach to ensure continuous court operations. Additionally, legal practitioner Nelson Noble Amedewonu urged the Ghana Bar Association to seek judicial clarity on whether the Chief Justice possesses the legal mandate to issue such warrants.