GT-Vodafone case adjourned as Joe Ghartey fails to appear in court
Mr Joe Ghartey, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General, on Monday failed to appear before the Accra Fast Track High Court hearing the case involving the sale of Ghana Telecom to Vodafone in 2008.
Mr Ghartey, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, who was the then Attorney General and Minister of Justice during the sale was expected to appear in Court to give evidence.
Mr Bright Akwetey, counsel for the plaintiffs, told the Court that his office on Friday June 14, served Mr Gharteythe notice through the Clerk of Parliament.
He prayed the court for a short adjournment based on the fact that he was not sure whether the subpoena has been delivered to Mr Ghartey.
The court action was initiated at the Commercial Court in October 2008 by Professor Agyemang Badu Akosa, Michael Kosi Dedey, Dr Nii Moi Thompson, Naa Kordai Assimeh, Ms Rhodaline Imoru Ayarna and Mr Kwame Jantuah, all members of the Convention People’s Party.
The six are seeking a declaration that the agreement entered into by the government in offloading its 70 per cent shares was not in accordance with due process of law and should be annulled.
The Court adjourned to June 24 to ensure that the counsel of the plaintiffs served the former Minister a hearing notice to appear in court.
The six Ghanaians contended that the decision by government to transfer the assets, property shares, equipment, among others, to Vodafone was obnoxious, unlawful and inimical to the public interest, particularly when no compensation was required from Vodafone for the stated assets.
According to the plaintiffs, the three Ministers of State who signed the agreement on behalf of the government did not exercise the level of circumspection required of them as public officers, in relation to public property.
The reliefs they are seeking from the Court include a declaration that the agreement entered into by the government was not in accordance with due process of the law and was, therefore, a nullity.
They are also praying the Court to give an order declaring that the forcible grouping of autonomous state institutions established by law, namely, Voltacom, Fibreco, the VRA Fibre Network and VRA Fibre Assets with Ghana Telecom, to form the purported Enlarged GT Group was unlawful and, therefore, void and of no legal effect.
The plaintiffs are also praying for an order of perpetual injunction to restrain government from disposing of the 70 per cent share of Ghana Telecom to Vodafone or any other foreign company, without first exploring other avenues for funding.
Source: GNA