The High Court, General Jurisdiction 12 has shot down the prayers of the Defendant in the matter, Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa (Hon.), now Minister for Foreign Affairs for a subpoena issuing to the Plaintiff, Rev. Adu Gyamfi to testify in the defamation case brought by Rev. Gyamfi against him.

The learned trial Judge rejected the request brought by Counsel for Mr. Ablakwa who in another life is wife to the Minister-Defendant. Nuhela Seidu Esq. on the last adjourned date of the matter suggested to the Court the intention of the Defendant to compel the Plaintiff to testify to the matter between the parties, a request which forms part of the legal strategy of Mr Ablakwa in the ongoing trial.

To natural resistance from lawyers of Rev. Adu Gyamfi, Counsel for the Defendant applied for, and moved for a subpoena to be issued by the Court to Rev. Adu Gyamfi which application upon being heard by the Court was rejected during proceedings today, the 20th day of March, 2024. As part of the attractive arguments marshaled by Lawyers for Mr. Gyamfi, Messrs Robert Smith Law Group is the effect of the decision of the Supreme Court in the Election Petition No. 2 case, that a party cannot be compelled to open the party's case by calling witnesses to prove the case of the party and thus, Mr. Gyamfi who is a party in the matter but has not being offered as a witness in his own case cannot thus be compelled to mount the witness box for cross-examination.

Ablakwa to face Banson

The ruling of the Court now paves the way for the examination-in-chief and the cross-examination of Mr. Ablakwa whose words the Plaintiff-Clergyman finds damaging to his reputation. Upon the cross-examination of the author of the defamatory material, subject of the suit, the learned Bobby Banson is expected to cross-interrogate Mr. Ablakwa. The Honourable Court adjourned proceedings to the 29th day of April 2025 at 9:00am