SC strikes out suit challenging anti-LGBTQ+ Bill
The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday struck out Richard Dela Sky’s review application challenging its decision on constitutionality of Parliament’s passage of the Human Rights and Family Values Bill, commonly called anti-LGBTQ+ Bill.
The case was struck out as the applicant, Mr Sky, a private legal practitioner, withdrew the case.
His counsel, Paa Kwasi Baidoo, informed the court that his client instructed him to withdraw the application for review of the court’s decision delivered on December 18, 2024.
However, the nine-member panel of SC expressed disquiet about the absence of the applicant in court.
A Chief State Attorney, Sylvia Adisu, asked the court, presided by Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, to award cost against the applicant.
The court did not accede the request on grounds that, the case was a public interest matter.
The SC in a unanimous decision dismissed two suits challenging the constitutionality of the anti-LGBTQ+ Bill.
The court, presided over by Justice Avril Lovelace Johnson, said it was of the considered view that the plaintiffs, Dela Sky, and Dr Amanda Odoi, a researcher, failed to properly invoke the original jurisdiction of the court.
After the ruling, counsel for Dr Odoi, Dr Ernest Arkoh, told journalists that he respects the decision of the court, but disagrees with it.
Last year, Parliament passed the Human and Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, into law.
But, even before, the Speaker of Parliament transmitted the bill to the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for his assent, Mr Sky filed a motion at the SC to injunct him (Speaker) from undertaking his constitutional duty.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
