The Accra High Court has directed the defence team in the case involving former National Petroleum Authority (NPA) Chief Executive Officer Mustapha Abdul-Hamid and seven others to return to court tomorrow, after rejecting a request for a longer adjournment.
Lead defence counsel Joseph Kpemka had asked the court to defer proceedings for several weeks, citing ill health, exhaustion among members of the legal team and the upcoming Ghana Bar Conference.
Mr Kpemka told the court that the defence had attended proceedings throughout the legal vacation and needed additional time to recover before resuming the case in October.
However, the court declined the request and directed the parties to return tomorrow for the continuation of the case management conference.
Speaking to the media after the hearing, Mr Kpemka stressed that the application was based on genuine concerns and was not intended to delay the proceedings unnecessarily.
He explained that several members of the defence team had been unwell and physically exhausted after what he described as a demanding legal year.
The lawyer also cited the upcoming Bar Conference and other professional engagements as reasons for seeking additional time.
According to him, the defence had hoped the court would allow them a few weeks to recuperate before returning to the case in October.
“But my lord said that we should come back tomorrow. And that he was not acceding to the prayer. And we are obliged to be in court tomorrow, and we will so be,” Mr Kpemka said.
Mr Abdul-Hamid, a former Minister for Information under the Akufo-Addo administration, was appointed CEO of the NPA in 2021.
He and seven other accused persons are standing trial over allegations of extorting money from players in Ghana’s petroleum sector.
The accused had earlier sought to have the charge sheet struck out, but the court dismissed the application, allowing the pre-trial process to proceed.
The case will continue tomorrow with the further hearing of the case management conference.
