Judicial Service: Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill cases delayed due to incomplete submissions

The Judicial Service of Ghana (JSG) has stated that parties involved in the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill cases “have not completed the work they are to do before a hearing by the Supreme Court can be conducted.”

This announcement follows reports of the Sponsors of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill planning to protest against the Chief Justice on September 17.

In the report, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, a sponsor of the bill, indicated that they would march against the Chief Justice on September 17, 2024, in a protest dubbed the ‘Family Values March.’

According to the MP, the Supreme Court’s decision on July 17, 2024, to defer ruling on the interlocutory injunction to restrain Parliament from transmitting the Anti-LGBTQ Bill to the President for assent until the substantive case is heard, was a “deliberate and malicious” attempt by the Chief Justice to delay the bill’s passage into law. This prompted the protest to demand a timetable for the hearing.

The JSG, in a statement issued on Friday, noted that Richard Sky’s case began with a writ filed on March 5, 2024. As of July 31, 2024, when the Supreme Court went on recess, neither Parliament (1st Defendant) nor the Attorney General (2nd Defendant) had filed a defense in the form of their Statements of Case.

The JSG emphasized that the three parties could only file the Memorandum of Issues for the trial when the Statements of Case are in place, adding, “Until then, the Supreme Court cannot hear the case.”

For Dr. Amanda Odoi’s case against the Speaker and Attorney General, the JSG indicated that the case started with a writ filed on June 11, 2023. “The 1st Defendant (Parliament) filed its Statement of Case on March 14, 2024. The 2nd Defendant has not filed a Statement of Case. The three parties are to file the Memorandum of Issues for the trial when the Statements of Case are in place.”

The JSG stated that it is only after the filing of the individual or joint Memorandum of Issues that the Supreme Court can try the case.

“From the above, the parties have not completed the work they are to do before a hearing by the Supreme Court can be conducted,” the JSG stressed.

The JSG assured the public that the registries of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, and High Courts are open throughout the legal vacation, Christmas, and Easter vacations to receive all processes that are due to be filed.