Court refuses stay request in NSS scandal trial

The High Court has declined a request by lawyers for Gifty Oware Aboagye Mensah to pause proceedings in the ongoing National Service Scheme scandal trial.

The oral application was made on Monday, May 11, 2026, just before the prosecution was expected to call its first witness.

Defence lawyer Gary Nimako Marfo asked the Criminal Division 4 of the High Court to suspend the case, saying his client had gone to the Supreme Court to challenge part of a 2018 practice direction issued by the Chief Justice.

The dispute relates to an earlier order by the trial court requiring the accused to file the names and addresses of defence witnesses.

Mr Nimako Marfo told the court that an application for stay of proceedings had been filed at the Supreme Court on Friday, May 8, 2026.

He said he had been informed by a bailiff that the Attorney-General and the High Court registrar had both been served.

But the trial court said there was nothing on its record to show that the Supreme Court application had been served.

Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay then directed the court clerk to verify the position from the registrar.

The clerk later reported that no such process had been served on the registrar.

The prosecution opposed the defence request, arguing that filing an application at the Supreme Court did not automatically stop the High Court from proceeding with the trial.

Justice Kocuvie-Tay agreed, ruling that the court could not be restrained simply because an application had been filed elsewhere.

She said the High Court would only halt the trial if the Supreme Court specifically ordered it to do so.

The court therefore refused the oral application and fixed new dates for the continuation of proceedings.

The case has been adjourned to Monday, May 18, 2026, when the prosecution is expected to continue leading evidence from its first witness.