Oppong Nkrumah Mulls Supreme Court Review After Injunction Blow: “Ruling Admits Some Cases Were Treated Differently”

The Member of Parliament for Ofoase‑Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, says he is likely to seek a review of the Supreme Court’s decision dismissing his injunction application against the Chief Justice’s warrant permitting selected High Court judges to sit on criminal cases during the legal vacation.

Speaking to journalists after the ruling, Mr Oppong Nkrumah said the court’s decision contained “very interesting pronouncements” about how certain cases have been handled at the High Court.

“The court has dismissed our injunction application, but in the ruling some very interesting pronouncements have been made,” he said. “For the first time, the courts have admitted that some cases have been treated differently. Those are the words of the judge. They have been treated differently and expeditiously. Why? He doesn’t say so.”

He noted that although the judge acknowledged the differential treatment, the court concluded that it did not amount to a breach of the constitutional provisions he had raised.

“But then he proceeds to say that, in his opinion, that will not amount to a violation of the constitutional articles we have raised, and that he thinks it will even be in the interest of the accused persons,” he added.

The MP said his legal team had requested a certified copy of the ruling to study the court’s reasoning before determining their next move.

“We’ve asked for a certified copy so that we can peruse it some more, and then on the advice of counsel we’ll take the next steps,” he said.

Asked whether he would pursue a review, he responded: “Very much so, very much so — but we’ll consider it.”

Background

Mr Oppong Nkrumah had filed an injunction application challenging the Chief Justice’s directive authorising selected High Court judges to continue hearing criminal matters during the legal vacation, arguing that the move raised constitutional concerns.

The Supreme Court, however, dismissed the application.