Lead counsel Samuel Atta Akyea, representing former National Signals Bureau Director-General Kwabena Adu-Boahene and two others, has protested the decision to continue hearing their criminal case during the legal vacation, describing the directive as unprecedented and discriminatory.

In a letter dated August 5, 2026, and addressed to the Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, Atta Akyea, head of Chambers at Zoe, Akyea & Co., urged the Judiciary to withdraw the directive authorising the vacation sittings and adjourn the case until the next legal term.

Lawyers protest vacation of trials of criminal cases involving NPP people

The case, involving Kwabena Adu-Boahene, Angela Adjei Boateng and Advantage Solutions Limited, was scheduled to continue before the Specialised Court 1, presided over by Justice Francis Apangabuno Achibonga, JA, during the legal vacation.

The lawyers argued that the decision would compel the defence team to work beyond the legal year while other lawyers and judges take time to rest.

They said the directive had disrupted their personal engagements and travel plans after working throughout the legal year from October 2025 to July 2026.

“The legal vacation has long been a period for both lawyers and judges to rest after an exhaustive year and to recuperate for the year ahead,” the lawyers stated.

The legal team further argued that other criminal and civil cases had been adjourned to October and November 2026 to allow lawyers and judges to observe the vacation.

“With respect, this directive to continue with the part-heard trial risks exposing Your Lordship to claims of selective justice,” they said.

The lawyers argued that the arrangement had created the perception of two separate tracks in criminal justice delivery, with some “special criminal cases” before specialised courts receiving expedited attention while other cases follow the normal process.

“The people of Ghana in whom justice resides have arrived at the justifiable conclusion that there are now two criminal justice delivery systems: the track that has been set by your Lordship to hurry justice pertaining to some ‘special criminal cases’ programmed before specialised courts vis-à-vis the second track where criminal cases travel their normal course and never in an ambulance mode,” the lawyers stated.

They added: “We are compelled to bring to your attention these unprecedented criminal justice delivery arrangements as we consider the Judiciary as the last bastion of refuge in our constitutional democracy.”

The lawyers accordingly appealed to the Chief Justice to reconsider the directive, withdraw the warrant authorising the vacation sittings, and vacate the hearing dates.

“We accordingly and respectfully pray that your directive be reconsidered, the warrant withdrawn and the hearing days vacated with the matter adjourned to abide term-time in a manner consistent with the treatment afforded other pending cases,” they stated.

The courts were authorised to sit during the legal vacation following a warrant issued by Baffoe-Bonnie, allowing Justices Achibonga and Kocuvie-Tay to hear cases during the period.



JKB/BAI

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