AG apt to represent the police in this injunction case - High Court tells FixTheCountry convenors

The Attorney General is in the rightful position to represent the Ghana Police Service in a case in which it is seeking to halt an impending street protest by the fix the country campaigners.

This was made known on Friday, June 25, 2021, when both parties appeared before an Accra High Court presided by Justice Ruby Aryeetey, which is handling the injunction case.

The convenors of the FixTheCountry argue that only the police service has the power to make such requests under the public order act which seeks to restrain them from embarking on the planned march.

In the previous sitting of the court, the Attorney General, Mr.Godfred Dame was in court to make arguments in opposition to the planned protest.

Counsel for the convenors however disagreed with the AG’s role in the case, arguing that he does not have the capacity and the court cannot hear a matter relating to the public order act, being filed in the name of the Republic.

On his part, the AG rubbished the claim of the convenors describing it as a misunderstanding of the fundamental laws relative to the application.

He further argued an action is a criminal matter if it is initiated within the context of Act 491 of the Public Order Act.

The AG additionally drew the court’s attention to his role under Article 88 of the 1992 Constitution which empowers his outfit to initiate all civil and criminal matters involving the Republic.

 “The Attorney-General shall be responsible for the institution and conduct of all civil cases on behalf of the State, and all civil proceedings against the State shall be instituted against the Attorney-General as the defendant,” it states.

In her ruling, the judge upheld the AG’s role under Article 88 of the constitution and indicated that the AG’s office cannot be left out of such applications made by the police.