The final funeral rite of the late Queenmother of the Ga State, Naa Dedei Omaedru III, will come off as planned following the setting aside of an injunction application seeking to halt the funeral.
Five persons, led by the Head of Antie We of Kpone, Nuumo Emmanuel T. Antia, on Wednesday, secured an interlocutory injunction to refrain the Defendants, led by Nii Adotey Otintor II, chairman of the funeral planning committee and chief of Sempe from “handling, organising, touching, performing, or dealing” with the remains of the late Queen.
But a member of the central planning committee of the funeral and former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Nii Ayikoi Otoo, told a gathering of chiefs and people of the Ga State yesterday that the legal hurdle had been cleared to pave the way for the final journey of the late Queen.
“We were in court this morning and argued against the injunction that was granted. We asked that it be set aside and at the end of the day (our argument was upheld),” Nii Ayikoi Otoo said.
The former A-G said that after arguing his case before an Accra High Court presided by Justice Patrick Baayeh, the court held that granting the injunction was an error.
“Upon reading the affidavit filed by the Applicants and deposed to by the first defendant (Nii Adotey Otintor II) and upon hearing Ayikoi Otoo Esq, Counsel for the defendants, I am of the view that the Order of Interim injunction granted on October 25, 2023 was made in error,” the ruling of the Court sighted by the Ghanaian Times reads in part.
“The Applicants failed to give the Court the true state of affairs,” the ruling added.
In fairness to the parties therefore, the ruling said “the Order of Interim Injunction granted on October 25, 2023, is hereby set aside.”
It said “any party desirous of proceeding may come on notice to the other party for a proper evaluation of the evidence from both sides”.
Interpreting the ruling, Nii Ayikoi Otoo said “the importance of this is that there is no order anymore anywhere which anybody should worry about.”
Mr Ayikoi Otoo said the Ga State had spent so much time and money in planning the funeral and was grateful to the Court for upholding their argument.
He was thankful to everyone who supported the funeral efforts and urged calm as the State says a final farewell to its Queen.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
