'I will continue to sit until Chief Justice revokes warrant' - High Court judge Achibonga tells 'vacation' lawyers

An Accra High Court judge handling the case involving former National Petroleum Authority (NPA) Chief Executive, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, and five others has rejected a request to suspend proceedings during the legal vacation.

The accused persons are standing trial over allegations that they extorted more than GH¢291.57 million and US$323,407.47 from oil marketing companies.

Presiding judge Justice Francis Apangabuno Achibonga said the court would continue hearing the case during the legal vacation until the Chief Justice revokes the warrant authorising him to sit.

The decision followed a request by lawyers representing five of the accused persons for the case to be adjourned to October, citing prior personal commitments during the legal vacation, which runs through August and September.

One of the defence lawyers told the court that he had already booked a flight to travel outside the jurisdiction to attend to pressing personal matters during the period. Other members of the defence team also indicated that they had prior engagements and asked the court to resume the case in October.

Justice Achibonga, however, disagreed with the request, saying that if the case were to be heard only in October, there would have been no reason for the Chief Justice to issue a warrant directing the court to sit during the legal vacation.

He maintained that the court would continue with the proceedings as scheduled until the warrant authorising its sitting was withdrawn by the Chief Justice.

The judge also noted that the lawyers seeking permission to travel were members of a law firm and argued that the firm should be able to provide another lawyer to represent the accused persons in their absence.

Justice Achibonga nevertheless gave the accused persons until the next adjourned date, August 17, 2026, to make arrangements regarding their legal representation.

He warned that if the accused persons remained without legal representation by that date, the court would proceed with the Case Management Conference and require them to represent themselves.