The Judicial Service of Ghana has reacted to concerns over the delays in hearing the two Anti-LGBTQ Bill cases before the Supreme Court.
This comes in the wake of a planned demonstration by the proponents against Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo on September 17.
In a statement, the Service said the parties involved are yet to complete the necessary procedural work before hearings can proceed.
The statement explained that in both cases—one filed by Richard Sky and another by Dr Amanda Odoi—key defendants, including Parliament and the Attorney General, have not submitted their Statements of Case, preventing the filing of a Memorandum of Issues, which is required before the Supreme Court can schedule a hearing.
For Richard Sky’s case, filed on March 5, 2024, both Parliament and the Attorney General have failed to submit their defenses as of July 31, 2024, when the Court went on recess.
Similarly, in Dr Odoi’s case, initiated in June 2023, Parliament has filed its statement, but the Attorney General has yet to do so.
The Judicial Service emphasised that until these documents are submitted, the cases cannot progress.
Meanwhile, the Service has assured the public that the registries of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, and High Courts remain open, even during legal vacations, and the courts are ready to adjudicate any matter that is prepared for hearing.
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Read the full statement below: