NCA Case: Stop prostituting court processes – Judge to defense lawyers

The Presiding Judge in the Case of the Republic verses Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie and four others, Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, has cautioned lawyers for the first accused person, not to prostitute Court processes by filing applications that are aimed at delaying the speedy determination of the case.

Justice Kyei Baffour made the assertion when he delivered a ruling in yet another application by lawyer for the first accused person, Abu Juan, to stay proceedings at the High Court pending an appeal at the Court of Appeal on the ruling of the High Court on the Submission of no Case delivered on the 4th of June 2019.

All the accused persons with the exception of the first accused had their appeals on the Submission of no case dismissed by the Court of Appeal and it is mind boggling that the first accused person is seeking to repeat the same application today, the 2nd of July 2019, the Court observed.

In view of the fact that the appeal of the 1st accused is still pending at the Court of Appeal irrespective of the High Court dismissal of the the Application for Stay of Proceedings, the Court ordered that the 2nd accused person, Matthew Tetteh Tavie, should open his Defence.

His lawyer, Godwin Tamakloe, asked the Court for an adjournment in order for his client to prepare to do same. Justice Kyei Baffour’s Court obliged and adjourned sitting to Thursday 4th of July 2019 for proceedings to continue.