Supreme Court dismisses NAM1’s attempt to halt trial
The Supreme Court has dismissed Nana Appiah Mensah’s application, popularly known as NAM 1, to overturn the decisions of the Court of Appeal and the High Court in his ongoing criminal trial.
This dismissal follows the Court of Appeal’s earlier rejection of NAM1’s application to halt proceedings at the High Court.
NAM1’s legal team had requested the appellate court to stay the trial while an appeal challenging a High Court order directing him to open his defence was pending.
The High Court had ordered the CEO of the defunct Menzgold Ghana Limited to open his defence in 2024 in a case involving multiple charges, including selling gold without a licence, fraudulent breach of trust, defrauding by false pretence, and money laundering.
After the High Court ruling, his lawyers filed an appeal seeking to overturn the directive and applied to stay the proceedings.
On Monday, May 19, 2025, state prosecutors requested the Court of Appeal to reject the stay application, arguing that it attempted to usurp the court’s authority and failed to demonstrate any exceptional grounds to justify halting the trial.
A three-member panel, comprising Justice Gbiel Suurbaareh, presiding, with Justices Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe and Christopher Archer, unanimously dismissed the request. NAM1 subsequently moved to the Supreme Court to challenge the appellate court’s decision.
However, on Wednesday, December 10, the Apex Court dismissed his application and affirmed that he must open his defence as ordered.
Meanwhile, Frederick Forson, spokesperson for the aggrieved Menzgold customers, welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision, describing it as a step toward justice. Our understanding is that the High Court trial can now proceed.
Today, we were also informed that they will file their reasons on the 17th of this month. As directed earlier, we will return to the High Court on the 16th, which is next week. We are very happy and appreciate what the court has done, although it has taken a long time, he stated.
