The Supreme Court of Ghana has commenced proceedings to review the legality of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill passed by parliament in February. In response to a petition submitted by lawyer and journalist Richard Dela Sky, the court has agreed to consider the contentious aspects of the legislation. Notably, the bill proposes a three-year imprisonment term for individuals identifying as gay, and a range of five to ten years for advocates of LGBT rights. Mr. Sky’s lawsuit, filed in March, seeks to halt the bill’s progression to the president for approval and prevent President Nana Akufo Addo from enacting it into law.
Additionally, a separate case brought forward by academic researcher Dr. Amanda Odoi, challenging the bill’s constitutionality, was also deliberated by the court. The initial day of proceedings unfolded amidst a tense atmosphere, marked by impassioned exchanges during oral submissions between legal representatives and the chief justice. Expressing apprehension regarding the language used in certain sworn statements, Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo emphasized the need for decorum in legal discourse.
The contentious nature of the bill, condemned by Western donors and human rights organizations, foreshadowed the intense deliberations on the first day of hearings. The proceedings, overseen by the chief justice and four other Supreme Court judges, garnered significant public attention, prompting live television broadcasts to accommodate widespread interest among Ghanaians. President Akufo Addo has indicated his intention to await the Supreme Court’s verdict before making a decision on the bill’s enactment into law.
