A member of Hanan Abdul-Wahab’s legal team, Yaw Buampong Adu-Brempong, has rejected claims that the defence is deliberately delaying the trial, insisting that lead counsel Godfred Yeboah Dame’s illness is genuine.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Newsnight on Wednesday, August 12, Mr Adu-Brempong said the defence team remains concerned about the continuation of the criminal trial during the legal vacation, particularly when its lead counsel is unwell.

He explained that the defence had formally written to the Chief Justice to express its concerns about the decision to conduct substantive criminal proceedings during the legal vacation.

According to him, the defence’s position is that vacation courts are primarily intended to deal with urgent matters, including motions, making the decision to continue the trial during the period unusual.

“We have made that position clear. So we are waiting for a response from the Chief Justice, which we have not had as we speak,” he said.

Mr Adu-Brempong also dismissed suggestions by the Deputy Attorney General that the legal vacation and Mr Dame’s ill-health were being used as excuses to delay the proceedings.

“That is very unfortunate coming from the Deputy Attorney General. In fact, I disagree entirely with the position. It’s completely unfounded and not supported by the facts,” he stated.

He disclosed that Mr Dame had been unwell for the past two weeks and was unable to properly project his voice during the last court sitting.

“At the last adjourned date, my senior, the Honourable Godfred Dame, even told the court that on that date, he was not able to even project his voice because he was not feeling well,” Mr Adu-Brempong said.

He stressed that the defence had consistently participated in the proceedings and that Abdul-Wahab had cooperated with the court since the beginning of the case.

“Honourable Hanan Abdul-Wahab has consistently appeared, he has consistently cooperated since his first arrest, and then subsequent arrests, subsequent withdrawal of the charges, rearrest when he was given a clear order by the court to travel,” he said.

Mr Adu-Brempong therefore described it as “disingenuous” to suggest that the defence was deliberately seeking to frustrate the trial.

The comments come amid an escalating dispute over the Chief Justice’s directive for selected criminal cases to proceed during the legal vacation.

The defence has raised concerns about Hanan Abdul-Wahab potentially being required to appear in court on Monday without his lead counsel, given Mr Dame’s reported health condition.

Mr Adu-Brempong said the defence appreciates the seriousness of the criminal proceedings but maintains that its objection to the continuation of the trial during the legal vacation is based on established practice and not an attempt to frustrate justice.