Ghana Bar Association Backs Adu Boahen's Lawyers in Legal Vacation Court Dispute

• The Ghana Bar Association petitioned Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie over judges directing lawyers to appear in court during the statutory legal vacation
• Three law firms, including one representing former National Signals Bureau head Adu Boahen, raised grievances after being called for criminal trials
• The GBA warned that compelling lawyers to attend Vacation Courts undermines the annual recess and violates long-standing judicial tradition

The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has written to Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, calling on him to ensure that judges honour established legal vacation practices after several law firms were directed to appear in court during the ongoing statutory recess.

The petition, submitted on Monday, August 10, was triggered by complaints from three law firms, one of which, Messrs Zoe, Akyea, represents former National Signals Bureau director Kwabena Adu Boahen.

According to a report by Citinewsroom, the firms objected after courts scheduled their clients' criminal trials for proceedings during the legal vacation, which runs from August 1 to September 30.

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GBA's position on vacation courts

The GBA drew a clear distinction between Vacation Courts, which exist solely to handle urgent matters, and the conduct of full criminal trials.

The association maintained that long-standing practice prohibits the latter when counsel has formally declared their absence.

"Counsels are not under any compulsion whatsoever to appear before a Vacation Court. Once Counsel in a matter indicates their unavailability to attend Court during the vacation, even though the Court may have listed their case, it cannot proceed with the case in any way if Counsel on either side or on both sides indicate their inability to proceed with the scheduled matter in Court during the vacation," the GBA stated in its letter.

The association's position is that once a lawyer formally notifies the court of their unavailability, proceedings must be halted regardless of whether the matter has been listed.

GBA urges Chief Justice to intervene

Beyond restating the convention, the GBA urged Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie to act decisively to protect the purpose of the annual recess.

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The bar argued that the legal vacation exists to give lawyers necessary rest and that compelling attendance during this period undermines both tradition and professional welfare.

The association's intervention signals broader concern within the legal profession that some judges are treating the vacation period as an opportunity to advance pending criminal cases at the expense of counsel's statutory downtime.

No response from the Chief Justice's office had been made public at the time this article was written.

Wontumi files bail application

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh had earlier reported that NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Wontumi, was serving time at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison.

Wontumi’s lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea, had filed a bail application on August 5, 2026, citing two separate Acts of Parliament as legal grounds.

The application was scheduled to be heard before the High Court Criminal Division in Accra on August 19, 2026.

Source: YEN.com.gh