In the recent parliamentary proceedings regarding the vetting process for ministerial nominees and the pending legal case filed by MP Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, Speaker Alban Bagbin made a procedural error by referring to a “motion injunction.”
Legal expert Martin Kpebu clarified that while this was a mistake, it doesn’t change the fact that parliamentary proceedings should be suspended when a matter is before the court to avoid rendering the case moot.
Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame also clarified that he had not received any legal documents pertaining to an interlocutory injunction in the case brought by Dafeamekpor.
However, he acknowledged that there was a matter in court challenging the vetting process, and parliamentary proceedings should be stayed in such circumstances to avoid contempt of court.
Kpebu emphasized that while there may not have been an application for injunction at the time Bagbin made his statement, the presence of a legal case necessitates caution to avoid actions that could undermine the judicial process.
He noted that even without an injunction, parties should refrain from taking actions that could make the case futile or “foolish” in legal terms, as per the laws of contempt.
In summary, while there was a procedural error in Bagbin’s statement, the underlying principle of suspending parliamentary proceedings during a pending legal case remains valid to uphold the integrity of the judicial process.