The Supreme Court has rejected an application filed by Nana Appiah Mensah, widely known as NAM1, seeking to overturn the decisions of both the Court of Appeal and the High Court in his ongoing criminal trial.
The ruling follows an earlier decision by the Court of Appeal, which dismissed NAM1’s request to suspend proceedings at the High Court. His legal team had argued that the trial should be paused pending the determination of an appeal challenging a High Court order directing him to open his defence.
In 2024, the High Court ordered the CEO of the now-defunct Menzgold Ghana Limited to open his defence in a case involving multiple charges, including selling gold without a licence, fraudulent breach of trust, defrauding by false pretence, and money laundering.
After that directive, NAM1’s lawyers appealed the ruling and simultaneously filed an application to stay the proceedings.
On May 19, 2025, state prosecutors urged the Court of Appeal to dismiss the stay application, arguing that it attempted to “overreach the powers of the court” and failed to establish any exceptional grounds to justify suspending the trial.
A three-member appellate panel—comprising Justice Gbiel Suurbaareh (presiding), Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, and Justice Christopher Archer—unanimously rejected the application.
NAM1 then escalated the matter to the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the appellate court’s decision. However, on Wednesday, December 10, the Apex Court dismissed his application, affirming that he must proceed to open his defence as previously ordered.
Reacting to the ruling, Frederick Forson, spokesperson for aggrieved Menzgold customers, described the decision as a welcome step toward justice.
“Our understanding is that the High Court trial can now proceed. We were informed that the court will file its reasons on the 17th of this month. As previously directed, we will return to the High Court on the 16th. We are very happy and appreciate what the court has done, even though it has taken quite some time,” he said.
