Former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food and Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Hanan Abdul-Wahab, has explained the absence of his lead counsel, former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame, from proceedings at the Accra High Court.
Mr Abdul-Wahab appeared before the specialised court on Wednesday, August 12, accompanied by his wife, Faiza, but his legal team was absent.
He told the court that Mr Dame was unwell and receiving medical attention, explaining that the former Attorney-General had been in and out of hospital.
The development comes amid an ongoing dispute over the decision to hear the case during the legal vacation, which runs from August 1 to September 30.
Mr Dame had earlier written to Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie objecting to the decision to proceed with the trial during the vacation. He argued that the trial had not commenced before the recess and that there were no exceptional circumstances to justify proceeding during the period.
In a letter dated August 5, Mr Dame informed the Chief Justice that he would not participate in proceedings scheduled during the legal vacation, arguing that commencing the trial during the period departed from established judicial practice.
A similar objection has been raised by the legal team representing former National Signals Bureau Director-General Kwabena Adu-Boahene, led by Samuel Atta Akyea.
The issue has triggered wider debate within Ghana’s legal community over whether substantive criminal trials should proceed during the legal vacation and whether lawyers who have indicated their unavailability can be required to appear.
The Ghana Bar Association has called on the Chief Justice to ensure that established practices governing the legal vacation are respected.
Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai, however, has maintained that lawyers cannot unilaterally determine whether court proceedings should continue during the legal vacation.
