E-levy: SC dismisses Vormawor contempt case against GRA boss

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“The applicant has no locus and is not clothed by law to file the instant application to commit the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) for contempt. The application in itself is defective, it does not measure up to the standard. It is frivolous and vexatious. We award cost of ¢10,000 to be paid personally by counsel.”

This was the ruling at the first appearance of #fixthecountry convener, Oliver Barker-Vormawor at the apex court as Counsel for the applicants – Benjamin Darko, Democracy Hub and Democratic Accountability Lab, on Tuesday July 12.

The trio had filed a contempt case against the Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority at the Supreme Court following the implementation of the e-levy despite an impending injunction filed by three MPs in parliament.

Judges of the apex court took turns to school the fixthecountry convener who had failed to abide by the court's due processes after admitting that he was making his maiden appearance at the Supreme Court.

Presiding Judge, Justice Nene Amegatcher questioned the basis for the suit against the GRA boss when the applicants had no merit to do so.

This was after the court had heard the case filed by the Minority members in parliament and the parties had left the courtroom.

But lawyer Barker Vormawor explained to the court that in matters concerning integrity of the law, a person can seek the intervention of the apex court.

Members of the panel of seven judges admonished the social activist to withdraw the suit since he had no locus to do so and “stop wasting the court's time'.

Although Oliver Barker Vormawor would not concede and sought to clarify his stance the court proceeded to deliver its verdict without hearing the submissions from the Attorney General and counsels for the Ghana Revenue Authority.

The remaining members of the panel were Prof Ashie Kotey, Mariama Owusu, Gertrude Torkonoo, Emmanuel Kulendi, Prof Henrietta Mensah Bonsu, Lovelace Johnson and Mariama Owusu.

---3news.com