Effect of Supreme Court's FTC Ruling

Fast Track Court Cases Adjourned
Mr Justice J.C. Amonoo-Monney, the trial judge in the case in which Hanny Sherry Ayittey and three others are being tried by a Fast Track Court (FTC) says the case will be adjourned from time-to-time. According to him, adjournments will be granted as and when necessary until the final determination of the review being sought by the Attorney General for Supreme Court’s declaration of the Fast Track Courts as illegal.

Mr Amonoo-Monney made the ruling after listening to submissions from counsel on both sides at Friday’s sitting and accordingly adjourned the case to Wednesday, March 27. He said not until the final determination of the review, the accused persons, Sherry Ayittey, Emmanuel Agbodo, Ralph Casely-Hayford and Dorcas Ocran cannot be discharged as submitted by counsel.

Mr Amonoo-Monney upheld the Prosecution's submission that it was a criminal matter, and in law the only alternative in such situations was to adjourn proceedings from time-to-time and not to adjourn indefinitely.

Other judges hearing cases in the Fast Track Courts could follow Justice Amonoo-Monney’s example as effects of Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling that the fast track courts are illegal become clearer.

Mallam Issa’s Lawyer To File For His Release

The lawyer for the jailed former Youth and Sports Minister, Mallam Yussif Issa says he will take appropriate action to get redress for his client who was jailed by a fast track court. This follows the Supreme Court’s ruling that the fast track courts were unconstitutional. Mallam Issa is serving a four-year jail term for wilfully causing financial loss to the state.

Some legal analysts have suggested that the Supreme Court declaration that the fast track courts are illegal could mean that all cases, which have been heard can be reversed and those pending before the fast track courts must be suspended.

Counsel for Mallam Issa, Ambrose Derry who says he has not been in touch with his client since the ruling, told JOY FM that he will soon initiate the process to have the ruling reversed.

Lawyers of the former deputy finance Minister Victor Serlomey who was also jailed for wilfully causing finance loss to the state and others who lost cases before fast track courts are also widely expected to seek a reversal of their lost legal battles.