Supreme Court dismisses NAM 1’s attempt to halt trial
The Supreme Court has dismissed an application by Nana Appiah Mensah, popularly known as NAM1, which sought to overturn decisions of both the Court of Appeal and the High Court in his ongoing criminal trial.
The move follows an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeal, which rejected NAM1’s application to halt proceedings at the High Court. His legal team had asked 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 in 2024 instructed the CEO of the defunct Menzgold Ghana Limited to open his defence in a case in which he faces 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 simultaneously applied to stay the proceedings.
On Monday, May 19, 2025, state prosecutors urged the Court of Appeal to reject the stay application, arguing that it attempted to “overreach the powers of the court” and failed to demonstrate any exceptional grounds to justify halting the trial.
A three-member panel — 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. But on Wednesday, December 12, 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.
