Bar admissions, cross-border enforcement and regional appellate rulings

A total of 1,568 newly qualified lawyers have been called to the Ghana Bar.

The ceremony taking place on Friday [October 9, 2026] includes four Members of Parliament, two of whom ministers of state, and three media practitioners.

The MPs are Samuel Nartey George, MP for Ningo-Prampram and Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations; Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembelle and Minister of Lands and Natural Resources; Davis Ansah Opoku, MP for Mpraeso; and Phyllis Naa Koryoo Okunor, MP for Awutu Senya East (Kasoa).

The media practitioners are Umaru Sanda Amadu, a broadcast journalist with Channel One TV and Citi FM; Naa Ashorkor Duodu, a media personality and TV3 presenter with Media General; and Ayisha Ibrahim, a broadcast journalist.

They joined the other inductees after satisfying the requirements for entry into the legal profession.

Welcoming the newly qualified lawyers and other dignitaries to the ceremony, the Judicial Secretary, Musah Ahmed, said the call to the Bar marked the transition from legal education to professional practice.

He said the General Legal Council (GLC) was mandated under Section 7 of the Legal Profession Act, 1960 (Act 32) to convene formal meetings for the enrolment and call to the Bar of qualified applicants.

Mr Ahmed said the ceremony was not merely the culmination of an academic journey but also the beginning of a vocation that demanded diligence, sacrifice and the support of families.

He reminded the new lawyers that their admission to the profession came with the responsibility of upholding the rule of law.

“As you prepare to receive your certificates, you do not only do so as an individual who has met an exacting standard, but also as officers of the court,” he said.

Mr Ahmed subsequently invited the Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, who chairs the GLC, to formally declare the meeting open.

The Netherlands is seeking Ghana’s support to disrupt the drug supply network of fugitive Dutch trafficker Jos Leijdekkers, widely known as Bolle Jos, who is believed to be hiding in Sierra Leone.

Dutch Minister of Justice and Security David van Weel is supporting efforts to involve Ghanaian authorities in the pursuit, with the aim of cutting off supply lines linked to the fugitive’s network, according to a report by Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf .

The precise form of the support is still being worked out, but the report says it could include the deployment of Dutch police officers to Ghana.

Leijdekkers has been sentenced to more than 80 years in prison in the Netherlands and Belgium for drug trafficking and related offences. He is believed to be in Sierra Leone, where reports say he has links to influential figures, including the president’s family.

The renewed effort comes after French customs officers intercepted nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at the Port of Dunkirk in September 2026. The cocaine was concealed in a container carrying recycled plastic waste from Ghana and was estimated to have a street value of about US$260 million.

Four Ghanaians have since been arraigned before the High Court in Accra in connection with the seizure. They include Desmond Koranteng Curiel, described in reports as a suspected Ghana-based operative for Leijdekkers’ network.

The four have pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to export narcotic drugs and exportation of narcotic drugs.

Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission has said the country will not serve as a safe haven or transit point for international drug trafficking organisations.

The Netherlands has been seeking Leijdekkers’ extradition from Sierra Leone for months, but efforts to secure his transfer have so far been unsuccessful.

As part of the pressure, the European Commission has suspended €18 million in budget support to Sierra Leone. The Netherlands also hopes a further €22.5 million in support earmarked for 2027 will be blocked if Leijdekkers is not handed over.

The Dutch government is pursuing additional European measures to freeze his assets and restrict his movements. It is also seeking cooperation from other African countries to increase regional pressure and disrupt the networks that may be helping him evade arrest.

Search Watch live Home News Politics Business Sports Entertainment Opinion Videos More PAC asks Health Ministry to probe GHC13m spent by National Vaccine Institute on training, conferences The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has directed the Ministry of Health to investigate GH¢13 million spent by the National Vaccine Institute on training, seminars and conferences in 2025.

Copy link Add 3News as your preferred source on Google Preferred source Article tools Ask AI Listen to this article AI narration Playback position 0:00 2:14 10 10 Playback speed 1× The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has directed the Ministry of Health to investigate GH¢13 million spent by the National Vaccine Institute on training, seminars and conferences in 2025.

The directive followed the Institute’s appearance before the Committee to respond to findings in the 2025 Auditor-General’s Report, which showed that its financial position shifted from a profit of GH¢36 million to a loss of GH¢21 million within the financial year.

The expenditure was disclosed during the Institute's appearance before the Committee on Friday, October 9, 2026.

Chief Executive Officer of the National Vaccine Institute, Dr. Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey told the Committee that the expenditure covered training activities involving partnerships with eight universities in the country, as well as meetings and other engagements.

“Training and conferences and seminars is about GH¢13 million. We have partnerships with about eight universities in the country, so whenever we organise meetings that bring all the universities together, that falls under trainings,” a representative explained.

The representative also cited a vaccine investment forum organised by the Institute, which brought together bankers to discuss financing for vaccine manufacturing.

“Last year, we organised a vaccine investment forum where we brought the bankers because vaccine manufacturing is capital intensive,” the representative said.

However, PAC Chairperson, Abena Osei-Asare questioned the scale of the expenditure and asked the Ministry of Health to examine how the funds were used.

“Training and conferences alone is GH¢13 million. Can you share with us what kind of training and conferences you attended that in a year, you incur GH¢13 million?” she asked.

She further described the GH¢13.1 million expenditure on conferences and seminars as high for a single financial year and urged the Health Minister to investigate the matter.

“Yes, but you understand that GH¢13.1 million for conferences and seminars is a bit on the high side for one financial year. Respectfully, Minister, please look into it for us,” she said.

The Ministry of Health is expected to examine the expenditure in response to the Committee’s directive.

#5 Presidential Drive, Adesa We, Kanda, Greater Accra. Ghana

--> Make your preference count — choose Punch. Add Punch on Google A’Court rejects El-Rufai’s bail application News October 10, 2026 6:41 am A file picture of former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai (R) with his counsel in court

The Court of Appeal sitting in Kaduna has dismissed an appeal by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, challenging the refusal of a fresh bail application by the Kaduna State High Court. According to the Certified True Copy of the judgment obtained by our correspondent on Friday, a three-member appellate panel, in a unanimous judgment delivered on Thursday, held that El-Rufai failed to establish fresh facts or special circumstances to warrant interfering with the lower court’s decision to deny him bail. The lead judgment, delivered by Justice Onyekachi Aja Otisi, affirmed the ruling of the Kaduna State High Court, which refused the former governor’s second bail application on June 10, 2026. El-Rufai, who governed Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023, is being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over alleged financial offences arising from his administration. The former governor has denied wrongdoing and challenged the circumstances surrounding his continued detention. The Kaduna State High Court had earlier dismissed the bail application filed by the former governor and ordered an accelerated hearing in the matter. Dissatisfied with the decision, El-Rufai approached the appellate court. The appellate court held that the lower court acted within its judicial discretion in refusing bail, noting that the decision was properly based on the affidavit evidence presented by both parties. “There is no merit in this appeal; it fails and is hereby dismissed. The ruling of the lower court delivered on 10/6/2026 is hereby affirmed,” Otisi held. See more Punch stories on Google. Add Punch on Google The appellate court considered the prosecution’s argument that some of El-Rufai’s public remarks during a televised interview raised concerns about possible interference with the course of justice. The prosecution had told the court that El-Rufai made public remarks about defending his political legacy against those seeking to criminalise him. It also alleged that he admitted during an Arise Television interview on April 26, 2026, to wiretapping the telephone line of the National Security Adviser. According to the judgment, El-Rufai acknowledged participating in the interview and noted that he was being tried in a separate case relating to the subject matter. However, the appellate court stressed that its decision did not amount to a finding of guilt, noting that the former governor remained presumed innocent until proven guilty. “Now, without doubt, by unequivocal constitutional provisions, the appellant is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Otisi stated. Related News Cleric tasks churches on social responsibility Shehu Sani warns north against seeking power in 2027 A'Court dismisses El-Rufai’s bail appeal He added that the trial court’s evaluation of the affidavit evidence concerning the potential interference with justice did not constitute a pronouncement of guilt. The court also considered El-Rufai’s argument that his voluntary return to custody after attending his late mother’s burial demonstrated that he was not a flight risk. The former governor had submitted that his release to attend the burial and subsequent return to custody constituted compelling grounds for granting bail. However, the prosecution maintained that he was accompanied and closely monitored by security agents throughout the burial period. The appellate court noted that photographs allegedly showing El-Rufai attending the funeral prayers at the National Mosque in Abuja were referenced in his affidavit but were not attached to the application before the trial court. Otisi said the trial judge could not speculate on what the unattached photographs would have shown. “Courts are not allowed to act on speculations or conjecture to reach a decision, more so in our criminal jurisprudence,” he said. The court consequently upheld the lower court’s conclusion that El-Rufai had not established that his return to custody was entirely voluntary or that the circumstances justified a different bail decision. It also upheld the order for an accelerated hearing of the criminal trial, with proceedings to be conducted on a day-to-day basis as far as practicable while El-Rufai remained in the custody of the ICPC. The appellate court noted that no evidence had been presented to show that the prosecution had failed to pursue the case diligently. Otisi added that El-Rufai could return to the trial court to seek further consideration of his bail application if the prosecution failed to prosecute the case diligently. In a concurring judgment, Justice Abimbola Obaseki-Adejumo agreed that the former governor had not presented fresh and compelling facts to justify a different outcome. “Nothing had changed; therefore, I am unable to agree that a miscarriage of justice had occurred,” she held. Justice Lateef Ganiyu also concurred with the lead judgment, holding that the failure to attach documents relied upon in the bail application worked against the appellant’s case. In March 2026, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) took former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai into custody following an investigation into alleged financial infractions and procurement irregularities during his tenure from 2015 to 2023. Solomon Odeniyi Solomon Odeniyi is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over six years of professional experience. He has covered key national beats including the judiciary, military, and police, and currently reports on anti-corruption and related issues. Solomon’s work reflects a strong commitment to development-oriented reporting, public interest journalism, and accountability.

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--> Make your preference count — choose Punch. Add Punch on Google 2027: Senate rules out fresh review of Electoral Act News October 10, 2026 6:40 am File Photo: Nigerian Senate

The Senate has ruled out reopening the Electoral Act 2026 before the 2027 general elections, despite fresh questions surrounding party membership registers and candidate nominations following a Supreme Court judgment. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, stated that the National Assembly had concluded work on the electoral law and would not alter the framework while political parties were preparing for the polls. In an exclusive interview with Saturday PUNCH , Adaramodu explained that any review of the electoral law would only be considered after the 2027 general elections. His statement follows a Supreme Court ruling that overturned a July decision of the Court of Appeal, which had declared Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7), and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 unconstitutional. The apex court, in a unanimous judgment by a seven-member panel, restored the provisions regulating political parties’ membership registers and candidate nomination procedures. The ruling also set aside the Court of Appeal’s nullification of aspects of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s timetable for the 2027 elections. See more Punch stories on Google. Add Punch on Google The Court of Appeal had voided the provisions following a suit by the Zenith Labour Party, which argued that the requirements interfered unconstitutionally with internal party administration. However, the Supreme Court set aside that judgment, affirming the statutory authority of the Electoral Act in regulating membership registers and candidate nomination methods. Explaining the Senate’s stance, Adaramodu said the legislative process had been completed and assented to into law. “We have already done the electoral reform and passed that one; it is meant for the 2027 elections. Related News Electoral law: APC demands exclusion of defaulting parties from polls PVC collection: PDP, APC trade accusations over disruption 2027: Kwara monarchs back Tinubu, Danladi “It is only after the elections that we can consider a review if there is any necessity or calls for amendments and rejigging. “Anybody who has any petition against it should submit it to the Senate, but for us at the Senate and National Assembly, we have passed the electoral bill into law,” he said. Adaramodu warned that reopening the legislation at this stage would disrupt ongoing electoral preparations. “Parties have used the law to produce candidates who are going to contest in January and February. “So, are you now going to shift the goalpost in the middle of the game? “How do you halt an electoral act that is already in use for a new one? We are not going to do that,” he said. The Supreme Court judgment has renewed debate over the enforcement of the restored provisions, particularly regarding candidates whose membership records, waivers, or nomination processes could face legal scrutiny. Sections 77(5), 77(6), and 77(7) govern political party membership registers, restricting participation in primaries, congresses, and conventions to members whose names appear on the register submitted to INEC. Section 84(2) outlines direct primaries and consensus as permissible methods for political parties to nominate candidates. Adebayo Folorunsho-Francis The PUNCH journalist, Adebayo, has over 20 years of experience covering politics, health, metro, entertainment and properties

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