Ghana’s Supreme Court has initiated the hearing of a challenge to the anti-LGBTQ+ bill passed by parliament in February.
Lawyer and journalist Richard Dela Sky’s request to challenge the bill was granted by the court. The bill proposes a three-year jail term for individuals identifying as gay and five to ten years for advocates of LGBTQ rights.
Sky’s lawsuit, filed in March, seeks to halt the bill from reaching the president and prevent President Nana Akufo Addo from enacting it into law.
Another case, brought by academic researcher Dr. Amanda Odoi, challenges the bill’s constitutionality.
The first day of hearings unfolded amid tension, marked by heated arguments between legal representatives and the chief justice. Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo expressed concern over the language used in some statements, deeming it inappropriate and scandalous.
Given the contentious nature of the bill, the tense atmosphere was expected. The proceedings, chaired by the chief justice and four other Supreme Court judges, were televised due to public interest.
President Akufo Addo has pledged to await the Supreme Court’s verdict before deciding on the bill’s enactment. The case is adjourned until May 17.
