Private legal practitioner Bobby Banson has advised Ernest Kumi, the Member of Parliament for Akwatia, to voluntarily present himself before the court to prevent further embarrassment following the issuance of a bench warrant for his arrest.

The warrant was issued after Kumi failed to comply with an interim injunction that prohibited him from being sworn in as a legislator.

Speaking in an interview with Channel One TV on Saturday, 22nd February, Banson emphasised that Kumi’s conviction remains on the record and has not been overturned, with only the sentencing yet to be determined.

He noted that once a bench warrant is issued, it must be executed, and to avoid unnecessary complications, Kumi should take the initiative to appear in court.

“As it stands now, I think that going forward, at least on the next day, to avoid further embarrassment—because once the bench warrant has been issued, it must be executed—he can just voluntarily appear before the court with his counsel and give his evidence of the processes that have been filed,” Mr Banson advised.

Mr Banson further suggested that if Kumi presents the necessary legal documents to the court, the judge may consider delaying the sentencing to allow for the proper filing and assessment of all applications.

He explained that, given the legal proceedings, the court might take into account any additional processes submitted.

“I want to think that the judge, if he is minded, seeing the processes that have been filed—because the conviction is already on the record, it has not been set aside—what is left is the sentencing,” he stated.

He elaborated that, in such a scenario, the court might decide to adjourn sentencing until all outstanding applications have been reviewed.

“So if the judge will deal with the documents that are before him, I want to expect that they will adjourn the sentencing till all the other applications have been filed,” Mr Banson explained.

This, he argued, would provide an opportunity for a more thorough legal assessment of the case.

Banson expressed confidence that the judge would adopt a measured approach in handling the matter, ensuring that due process is followed.

He maintained that if Kumi appears before the court and presents relevant documents, he could avoid immediate sentencing and ensure that all legal considerations are thoroughly examined before a final decision is made.