Court Temporarily Suspends Hearing of Ato Essien’s Case

The High Court has temporarily suspended hearing the criminal case against the founder of defunct Capital bank, Michael ato Essien while waiting for the Court of Appeal to pronounce on an earlier ruling.

The trial court had earlier refused an application to suspend the proceedings in view of a pending appeal against its decision to admit unsigned documents into evidence.

Lawyer for William Ato Essien, Baffuor Gyau Bonsu Ashia, told the court that the processes were filed on May 4, with the Court of Appeal expected to hear the matter on May 23, 2022.

The trial judge, Justice Eric Kyei Baffour (JA) said he did not find any clear provisions in the rules of the court whether civil or criminal proceedings that precluded the court from proceeding with the trial since an application for stay of proceedings at the appellate court could not operate as the stay of proceedings itself.

Notwithstanding, his Lordship exercised the court’s discretion to temporarily suspend the hearings.

The court has subsequently adjourned to the 25th of May, 2022 to abide by the decision of the Court of Appeal.