Fact Check: Chief Justice's warrant does not limit vacation judge to emergency cases

Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie issued a warrant authorising a judge to sit during the 2026 legal vacation, which does not restrict the judge to emergency applications or interlocutory matters. The document, addressed to Justice Francis Apongabuno Achibonga, authorises him to sit as an additional High Court judge at the Specialised Court '1' at the Law Court Complex in Accra during the legal vacation. The warrant states: "By virtue of the powers conferred upon me, I hereby authorise you to sit as an additional High Court Judge at the Specialised Court '1', Law Court Complex, Accra, during the 2026 Legal Vacation and conduct hearings."

The warrant does not identify particular cases the judge is required to hear, nor does it expressly limit proceedings to emergencies, motions, or interlocutory applications. Private legal practitioner Samuel Atta Akyea claimed that substantive and part-heard cases should ordinarily not continue during the legal vacation. Speaking on JoyNews' Top Story, Mr. Atta Akyea argued that vacation judges traditionally dealt with urgent matters rather than substantive trials. He stated, "All the part-heard cases in the realm, they've gone to bed. I'm telling you, part-heard cases, the judges are not hearing part-heard cases in the vacation. It's as clear as daylight." He also questioned why some cases were proceeding during the vacation, describing the situation as "selective justice."