The legal battle surrounding the planned extradition of socialite Abu Trica has taken a new turn after the Accra High Court granted an urgent hearing for an application seeking to temporarily stop his transfer to the United States.
The court has scheduled Thursday, July 9, to hear the application filed by Abu Trica’s legal team, with both the defence and the Attorney General’s Department expected to present their arguments.
The application is asking the court to place a stay on an earlier order approving his extradition until an appeal against that decision is fully determined.
Lead counsel for Abu Trica, Barker-Vormawor, argued that the urgency of the matter is necessary to protect his client’s right to pursue the appeal process before any extradition action is carried out.
According to the legal team, Abu Trica’s constitutional right to challenge the decision through the courts must be respected and exhausted before he can be handed over to US authorities.
The court’s decision to abridge time means the matter will be heard on an accelerated basis, allowing all parties, including the Attorney General, to make their case before further action is taken.
The latest development follows an earlier decision by the High Court dismissing a certiorari application filed to overturn a ruling by the Gbese District Court, which had granted approval for Abu Trica’s extradition.
Abu Trica was subsequently rearrested at the premises of the Accra High Court after appearing before the court in connection with the extradition proceedings.
His lawyers have indicated that should the emergency application fail, they may proceed to the Supreme Court in a further attempt to prevent his extradition.
The extradition proceedings were initiated following a request from United States authorities, who are pursuing Abu Trica over allegations involving an $8 million romance fraud case linked to ongoing investigations.
The case has drawn widespread attention due to its international dimension and the cooperation between Ghanaian and US authorities in handling the matter.
