Lead Counsel for Richard Dela Sky, Paa Kwesi Abaidoo has stated that the next steps concerning the anti-gay bill will depend on the full ruling of the Supreme Court, which is expected on Friday, December 20, 2024.
His comments follow the Supreme Court’s decision earlier today, Wednesday, December 18, 2024, rejecting petitions made by Richard Dela Sky and Dr. Amanda Odoi.
The court ruled that the bill could not be contested at this stage since it has not yet become law. Justice Lovelace Johnson clarified that a judicial review of a bill’s constitutionality can only occur after it receives presidential assent and becomes enforceable.
Speaking to reporters, Lawyer Abaidoo, who was accompanied by Lawyer of Dr. Amanda Odoi, expressed dissatisfaction with the court’s decision but noted that his legal team would await the full ruling before deciding on their next course of action. “You may recall that we filed an application for an interlocutory injunction alongside our writ. The Supreme Court indicated that its ruling on the injunction would be delivered together with the writ. Since we have not yet seen the ruling, we are not in a position to determine our next steps,” he explained.
He urged all parties to respect the court’s timelines, adding, “The court has indicated that we will have the full ruling by this Friday.”
The anti-gay bill, if passed, would impose penalties on individuals involved in promoting, funding, or indirectly supporting LGBTQI activities.