Charles Taylor's injunction hearing adjourned sine die

Accra, July 31, GNA - An Accra High Court presided over by Mrs Justice Agyemang Bempah, on Thursday, adjourned sine die the case involving Accra Hearts of Oak and Ghana Football Association (GFA).

This was after counsel for Hearts; Ernest Thompson, had introduced himself and Stephen Akwetey, team manager of the team, to the court. The Judge said since Hearts have petitioned the Chief Justice she would adjourn the case sine die and await his Lordship's direction. Counsel for Hearts, Mr Thompson, explained to her Lordship that the plaintiff had nothing personal against her sitting on the case and that they would raise the same objection if the case had been given to another judge.


He explained that the petition was not against her Lordship but rather concerned the conduct of Mr Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, the Judicial Secretary and Vice chairman of the GFA, the defendants in the suit.


The case was initially scheduled for Wednesday but was adjourned to Thursday, as the judge was sitting on another case at the Accra Fast Track Court and was also scheduled for a judicial meeting later on Wednesday; hence could not be available for the hearing.


Hearts filed a writ on Tuesday praying the court to stop the GFA from registering Taylor to any other club.


In their petition, the club maintained that they have sufficient evidence to the effect that the Judicial Secretary usurped the role of the Court's Registrar in referring the case to Justice Bempa.

Legal experts the GNA Sports spoke to on the fate of the injunction on the registration of the player by the GFA, said once the writ of summons had been served on the GFA Secretariat, the Secretariat cannot go ahead to register the player because this would be contemptuous on the part of the defendants.


Charles Taylor, a player of Hearts, said he was no longer interested in playing for the club after renewing a three contract. The player said he preferred to play for Hearts' rivals Kotoko and has since been training with them.


The GFA after conferring with the FIFA fined both Kotoko and the player 200 million cedis and 650 million cedis respectively, after which the player was free to join Kotoko.


This, Hearts objected to and has decided to contest the case at the law court.


Hundreds of supporters of Hearts again stormed the court premises and later went on demonstration to the GFA secretariat.