Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill Passage Delayed As High Court Adjourns Case To July

The High Court in Accra has adjourned the case hindering the passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, to July 29, 2024.

During a live telecast of court proceedings on Monday, June 3, 2024, Lawyers for the petitioner, Paul Boama-Sefa, were asked to file their written submissions in four weeks, while the court awaits a response from the Speaker of Parliament, the defendant in the suit.

The plaintiff contends that the process should not take place until the statutory provisions of section 100(1) of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921) are complied with.

He is seeking an order directing the Speaker, his deputies, his agents, assigns, and privies to ensure compliance with the Act before any further steps are taken in respect of the Bill and a perpetual Injunction restraining the defendants from further breaches of the Public Financial Management Act.

Prior to this, the Chief Justice had allowed media houses to livestream the hearing of Richard Sky’s injunction application on the passage of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill at the Supreme Court but has now allowed a live telecast of all cases related to the bill at various levels of the court system.

So far, four cases have been filed at various levels of the court system on the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, with two to be heard at the High Court and the other two at the Supreme Court.

The bill seeks to punish those who take part in LGBTQ sexual acts, as well as those who promote the act and other non-conventional sexual or gender identities with a prison sentence.