By The Supreme Court has postponed Richard Sky’s application, which seeks a declaration that the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, commonly known as the anti-gay bill, is null, void, and of no effect, until May 17, 2024.
Chief Justice Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo presided over the adjournment, allowing the plaintiff’s counsel to “file a fresh motion paper with supporting affidavit and statement of case.”
Thaddeus Sory, counsel for the first defendant, proposed to the court that the applicant be granted time to amend paragraphs five and seven of his applications to align with his claims.
Paragraph five of the applicant’s writ is seeking “an order restraining the Speaker of Parliament and the Clerk to Parliament from presenting The Human and Sexual Values Bill, 2024 to the President of the Republic for his assent.”
Paragraph seven of the application is also seeking “an injunction barring any attempts to enforce the provisions of The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bil 2024, particularly those criminalizing same-sex relationships and related advocacy efforts.”
In her ruling, the Chief Justice upheld the suggestion put forth by the counsel for the first defendant, and consequently, adjourned the amendment process to May 17.
“By listening to all the counsels, the court agrees with the suggestion of counsel for the first defendant and orders the plaintiff applicant to file a fresh motion paper with supporting affidavit and statement of case. Plaintiff is also given leave to address any matters of fact and issues of law in the new process.
“Plaintiff applicant is given up to May 17, so now you have moved from May 9 to file the new process on May 17, 2024. Counsel for defendants are given seven days after service on them to file any processes that they may wish to.”
