The application, however, was met with a firm refusal from the presiding judge, who effectively distanced herself from the state’s decision.
The development prompted a stark biblical analogy from Robert Ishmael Aggrey Amissah, lawyer for the second accused.
“We have come to meet Pontius Pilate in court today,” he stated, revealing that while the state had filed to drop the charges, the sitting judge “refused and washed her hands off the case.”
This legal stalemate leaves the fate of the two co-accused individuals uncertain, as the court declined to formally grant the state’s request for discontinuation.
The case against Abu Trica himself proceeds, with the Gbese District Court adjourning his matter to February 2, 2026, after which he left the premises.
In parallel, the defense is pursuing a multi-pronged legal strategy to challenge the entire process.
Lawyer Amissah disclosed that his team had filed an application at the High Court on January 20 to secure bail for all three accused persons.
“We have also filed additional applications to quash the entire process, as the illegality involved cannot be allowed,” he added.
Today’s events introduce significant procedural complexity into the high-profile extradition saga. The judge’s refusal to simply endorse the state’s withdrawal suggests potential judicial scrutiny of the prosecution’s motives or timing.
Meanwhile, the defense’s aggressive filings at the High Court indicate a coming battle over the fundamental validity of the charges.
All parties now await the next hearing date for Abu Trica in February, while the High Court applications and the unresolved status of the co-accused persons loom over the proceedings.
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