Court adjourns Sammy Crabbe’s case indefinitely
The hearing of the case filed by the suspended Second National Vice-Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Sammy Crabbe, for a judicial review to quash his suspension has been adjourned indefinitely.
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Mr Crabbe filed the suit on January 19, 2016.
The court, presided over by Sir Justice Dennis Adjei, a Court of Appeal judge with additional responsibility as a High Court judge, adjourned the case to enable the plaintiff to follow laid down court procedures to acquire a hearing date.
The party’s lawyer, Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame, in his submission, drew the court’s attention to the fact that there had been an administrative violation in the laid down procedure for acquiring a hearing date for a writ filed at the court.
He explained that the 14 days required for the respondent to file a response before a hearing date was issued was not due; so the case could not be heard at all.
Earlier report
Mr Crabbe had described his suspension by the Disciplinary Committee of the party as procedurally irregular and breaching the rules of natural justice and wants the Human Rights Division of the court to revoke that decision.
According to the applicant, the committee acted in excess of its jurisdiction when it suspended him on December 10, 2015, following a petition filed by two persons.
A statement of case accompanying the application filed on the applicant’s behalf by his lawyer, Mr Ekow S. Ampah Korsah, said by virtue of the fact that the disciplinary committee was improperly constituted, the entire proceedings were void and invalid.
It said the other legal error apparent on the face of the record could be found under Article 10 of the NPP Constitution, which deals with the removal and suspension of elected officers from the level of constituency, regional and national officers.
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Background
Mr Crabbe was suspended after two members of the party, Mr Boye Laryea and Ms Gladys Tsotso Mann-Dedey, filed a complaint against him for allegedly uttering words in the media that had the potential to bring the party into disrepute.
He was vociferous in his criticism of the suspension of the national chairman and the general secretary of the NPP.
He also stated that he could not work with the executive members who were appointed to act in the stead of the national chairman and the general secretary.
Those issues, among others, according to the petitioners, were enough for Mr Crabbe to be removed from office.
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