Ghana’s Supreme Court is expected to deliver a crucial ruling on Friday, August 21, 2026, in a legal battle challenging the continuation of selected High Court criminal trials during the ongoing judicial vacation.
The application was filed by Ofoase-Ayirebi Member of Parliament Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who is seeking an interlocutory injunction to temporarily suspend the operation of administrative warrants issued by Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie. The warrants allow designated High Court judges to continue hearing certain criminal cases during the legal vacation, which runs from August 1 to September 30.
Justice Gabriel Pwamang, sitting as a single Supreme Court judge, scheduled Friday for the ruling after hearing arguments from both sides on Thursday, August 20.
Oppong Nkrumah’s legal team, led by Frank Davies, argues that the Chief Justice’s decision raises constitutional concerns over how administrative discretion is exercised. The lawyers contend that allowing selected trials to continue during the vacation could affect accused persons whose preferred lawyers may be unavailable during the period.
Davies also questioned why some criminal cases were being prioritized during the vacation while others were not, maintaining that his client is not attempting to stop the prosecutions permanently but wants the trials suspended while the constitutional challenge is determined.
However, Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai has opposed the injunction, arguing that the application does not satisfy the legal requirements for such an order.
Srem-Sai maintained that the Chief Justice’s administrative warrant should not be confused with the independent judicial authority of individual judges to manage proceedings before them. He further argued that complaints about decisions made by trial judges should be challenged through the appropriate judicial review procedures.
The Supreme Court’s Friday decision will specifically determine whether the affected High Court trials should be temporarily restrained while the broader constitutional case continues.
The ruling is being closely watched because of its potential impact on ongoing criminal proceedings and the administration of justice during Ghana’s legal vacation.
