Anti-LGBTQ+ case: Speaker of Parliament given 7 days to file statement of defence

The Supreme Court has given seven additional days to the lawyers of the Speaker of Ghana's Parliament to file their statement of defence in the ongoing Richard Sky suit challenging the anti-LGBTQ+ bill.

The defendants in the case, the Speaker of Parliament and the Attorney General missed the deadline for the submission of their defenses.

Moving a motion for an extension of the time, the lawyer for the Speaker of Parliament, Raphael Banaangman noted that the failure to submit the defence was not in disrespect of the court.

He urged the court not to visit their sins on his client.

Lawyers from the office of the Attorney General, however, explained that they can only submit their statement of defence after Parliament has attached the fiscal impact analysis of the bill.

Lawyers for Richard Sky, however, did not oppose the bail application but pointed out that they are not responsible for the delay in resolving the case.

The Apex Court granted a seven-day leave for the speaker of parliament to file his defence.

In an interview with the media after proceedings, Paa Kwesi Abaidoo, who represents Richard Sky, indicated that the memoranda of issues can only be filed after the defences have been filed.

“You must have heard concerns raised by me this morning when I sort the leave of the court to discard the notion that the plaintiffs are the ones orchestrating a delay in the hearing of this case. My reason for doing so was very clear.

“At the ordinary sitting of the Supreme Court on July 17, 2024, my contention was upheld by the Supreme Court that until the defendants filed their statement of the case, we, the plaintiffs, will not be in a position to distil issues for the filing of a memorandum of issues.

“You will agree with me that this morning’s application by the first defendant was to the effect that they have not filed and require some extension of time to file, meaning that the delay is not orchestrated by us and so I don’t know why someone should give the impression that it is us [the plaintiffs] delaying the process.”

—CitiNewsroom