Former Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba has asserted that Ghana’s Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, is required to follow the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning his decision to declare four parliamentary seats vacant.

Speaking in an interview with JoyNews on Tuesday, November 12, Justice Atuguba clarified that, as a result of the ruling, the four affected Members of Parliament are entitled to return to their seats and participate in legislative activities. “In the face of this decision, he [Speaker Bagbin] is bound by the decision of the Supreme Court,” he said.

The Supreme Court’s 5-2 decision, delivered on November 12 and led by Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, deemed the Speaker’s declaration of the seats vacant as unconstitutional.

Justice Atuguba cautioned that ignoring the ruling could result in contempt of court, a serious offense that could carry a prison term of up to 10 years and disqualification from holding public office for a decade. “It is not necessarily 10 years, you must just suffer a term of imprisonment not exceeding 10 years,” he added.

Despite this, South Dayi MP Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor has argued that Parliament should officially endorse any Supreme Court decision before implementing it.

Source:TheDotNews