The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie of selectively authorising the conduct of criminal trials during the legal vacation, describing the move as a threat to judicial independence and fairness.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, the party said it was troubled by the Chief Justice’s recent defence of warrants issued to two High Court judges, Justices Achibonga and Kocuvie-Tay, to conduct criminal trials during the legal vacation.
The NPP alleged that all the affected cases involve persons associated with the party and questioned why only the two courts had been authorised to conduct substantive criminal trials during the vacation.
According to the party, 29 courts are currently sitting as vacation courts, but their work is generally limited to motions and urgent interlocutory applications.
It said vacation courts ordinarily do not undertake substantive trials and questioned why the two judges had been given special authorisation to conduct full criminal trials requiring the physical presence of accused persons and their lawyers.
“The Chief Justice has failed to answer one simple question. Why only these two courts, and why only these cases?” the party asked.
The NPP further questioned why cases involving serious offences such as murder, rape, narcotics and armed robbery could be adjourned until after the legal vacation while cases involving NPP-linked individuals were being heard during the period.
“If the vacation can pause the trial of a murder suspect, why can it not pause the trial of political opponents of the Government?” the party said.
The party alleged that the decision amounted to selective urgency and accused the Chief Justice of facilitating what it described as the prosecution and possible incarceration of NPP personalities.
The statement follows earlier objections from lawyers representing some of the accused persons, who had asked the Chief Justice to withdraw the warrants allowing the cases to proceed during the vacation.
The NPP said counsel from Zoe, Akyea & Co. and Dame & Partners formally notified the Chief Justice on August 5 of their unavailability during the vacation and requested that the warrants be withdrawn.
It further said the Ghana Bar Association wrote to the Chief Justice on August 10, reminding him of the convention that vacation courts do not conduct substantive trials and raising concerns about proceedings continuing in the absence of defence counsel.
The party also raised concerns over proceedings involving one of the accused persons, claiming that the trial judge adjourned the case for less than a week and gave the accused an ultimatum to secure a new lawyer or personally conduct the cross-examination of a prosecution witness.
The NPP argued that such a situation could undermine the constitutional right of an accused person to legal representation.
It cited Article 19(2)(f) of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees an accused person the right to defend himself or herself by a lawyer of their choice.
The party also questioned the circumstances surrounding the Chief Justice’s appointment and his confirmation by Parliament, alleging that his elevation followed what it described as a partisan process.
The NPP said it expected the Chief Justice to demonstrate strict independence in the discharge of his duties despite the political circumstances surrounding his appointment.
The party maintained that the handling of the vacation trials had raised serious concerns about judicial neutrality and called for greater transparency and adherence to fair-trial principles.
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