The Court of Appeal sitting in Koforidua has delivered a major blow to John Peter Amewu, barring him from holding himself out as a former Member of Parliament (MP) for the Hohoe Constituency in the 8th Parliament of Ghana.
The interlocutory injunction, granted on Monday, stems from an appeal filed by Professor Margaret Kweku and others from the Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi, and Likpe (SALL) traditional areas. The petitioners argue that Mr. Amewu’s election violated their constitutional rights, as they were excluded from voting in the 2020 parliamentary elections.
In a stinging development, the court also restrained the Speaker of Parliament from processing or disbursing any entitlements or benefits to Mr. Amewu as a former MP until the appeal is heard and determined.
This decision effectively overturns the July 29, 2024, ruling by the Ho High Court, which dismissed the initial petition challenging Mr. Amewu’s election. The High Court, presided over by Justice Owoahene Acheampong, had held that it lacked the jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Undeterred, the petitioners filed a Notice of Appeal on July 31, 2024, and subsequently applied for the injunction on December 23, 2024, seeking to preserve the status quo while their appeal is considered.
Leading the charge for the appellants, renowned legal luminary Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata argued that it would be unjust and improper for Mr. Amewu to continue receiving benefits or presenting himself as MP when the substantive legality of his election was still under dispute.
Trouble for Peter Amewu
Mr. Peter Amewu’s legal team, however, pushed back, insisting that their client bore no fault in the situation and that any wrongdoing lay with the Electoral Commission, which failed to include the SALL communities in the parliamentary vote.
Despite the defence, the three-member panel, led by Justice Bright Mensah and supported by Justices Noble Nkrumah and Hafisata Amaleboba (Mrs.), ruled in favour of the petitioners, describing the application as meritorious.
This decision deepens the controversy surrounding the disenfranchisement of the SALL communities—an issue that has generated widespread criticism since the 2020 polls.
As the appeal process unfolds, Mr. Amewu’s political standing remains in limbo, and the Speaker of Parliament is barred from extending any official recognition or financial benefits to him as a former MP.