The Supreme Court has directed Richard Sky to file another injunction request on the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, commonly known as the anti-gay bill by May 17, 2024.
After several deliberations by the lawyers, Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo adjourned the case to enable counsel for the plaintiff to “file a fresh motion paper with supporting affidavit and statement of case.
“By listening to all the counsels, the court agrees with the suggestion of counsel for the first defendant and orders the plaintiff applicant to file a fresh motion paper with supporting affidavit and statement of the case. Plaintiff is also given leave to address any matters of fact and issues of law in the new process.
“Plaintiff applicant is given up to May 17, so now you have moved from May 9 to file the new process on May 17, 2024. Counsel for defendants are given seven days after service on them to file any processes that they may wish to”, she said.
However, in the Plaintiff’s suit, he “is seeking the apex court to declare the Bill null and void also contended that the passage of the bill violates provisions of the 1992 Constitution particularly Article 33(5) as well as Articles 12(1) and (2), 15(1), 17(1) and (2), 18(2), and 21(1) (a) (b) (d) and (e) of the Constitution.”
Mr. Sky, also a journalist is seeking eight reliefs including an order that “the Speaker of Parliament contravened Article 108(a)(ii) of the Constitution, in light of Article 296(a)(b) and (c), by admitting and allowing Parliament to proceed upon and pass, ‘The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2024’ into law as the same imposes a charge upon the Consolidated Fund or other public funds of Ghana.”
Meanwhile, the apex court is also hearing a similar case filed by a researcher, Dr Amanda Odoi challenging the passage of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill.
