Alhaji Asuma Banda seeks out of court settlement in Hajj case
Gilbert Boyefio
27/10/08
Alhaji Asuma Banda, Chairman of the Antrak Group of Companies, has requested an out of court settlement in a case in which the National Hajj Council is seeking an order of perpetual injunction to restrain the offices of the Vice-President and the National Chief Imam from interfering in the operations of this year’s Hajj in Ghana. Alhaji Banda’s request was initially made before the court yesterday by Bright Akwetey, Lawyer for the National Hajj Council, when the case was called. He told the court that he had been approached by some Moslem elders, including Alhaji Asuma Banda, who was in court, for an out of court settlement.The judge at this point asked Alhaji Banda the reason for his request. He told the court that he had not been approached by any of the factions to proceed on this course of action, but rather he was doing so to ensure that Moslems in Ghana participate in this year’s Hajj. He said he had spoken to the Chief Imam and the Hajj Council about the matter. Alhaji Ishaq Alhassan, lawyer for the Interim Hajj Management Committee, told the court that they would cooperate with Alhaji Banda’s regarding his request.The court has therefore given Alhaji Banda up to November 3 to report back to the court.However, after court some supporters of the Interim Hajj Management Committee who were not happy about Alhaji Banda’s interference in the case started insulting him. But for the intervention of the security personnel at the court, they would have beaten him up.The National Hajj Council, On October 2, filed a writ at the Accra High Court seeking an order of perpetual injunction to restrain the offices of the Vice-President and the National Chief Imam from interfering in the operations of the Hajj in Ghana. It was also seeking an order requesting both offices and the defendants to hand over all arrangements made for the 2008 Hajj to the NHC.The council was further seeking an order of perpetual injunction to restrain the Office of the National Chief Imam and the defendants from interfering in the activities of the NHC. In its statement of claim, the NHC had also sought a declaration by the court that the council was the sole and legitimate body charged with the responsibility to organise the Hajj in Ghana by the Muslim community. The other defendants in the case are Alhaji Lumuna Mohammed Muniru of the Ministry of Health; Dr Alhaji Abdul-Wahab Alhassan of the Office of the Vice-President; Sheik Yunus Osman Mohammed of the Pathology Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, and Alhaji Osman Kadri English of the Office of the Chief Imam. The writ was further seeking a declaration that the Interim Hajj Management Committee did not have the mandate of the Muslim community in Ghana to organise Hajj operations. Additionally, it was asking for an order requesting the Office of the Vice-President to unblock access of the NHC to diplomatic facilities for the Hajj of 2008. Another relief is that the Office of the Vice-President should refund, in full, the air fares paid and other expenses incurred by the 728 pilgrims who were not airlifted to Mecca for the 2007 Hajj, plus interest on their air fares at the prevailing bank rate.
27/10/08
Alhaji Asuma Banda, Chairman of the Antrak Group of Companies, has requested an out of court settlement in a case in which the National Hajj Council is seeking an order of perpetual injunction to restrain the offices of the Vice-President and the National Chief Imam from interfering in the operations of this year’s Hajj in Ghana. Alhaji Banda’s request was initially made before the court yesterday by Bright Akwetey, Lawyer for the National Hajj Council, when the case was called. He told the court that he had been approached by some Moslem elders, including Alhaji Asuma Banda, who was in court, for an out of court settlement.The judge at this point asked Alhaji Banda the reason for his request. He told the court that he had not been approached by any of the factions to proceed on this course of action, but rather he was doing so to ensure that Moslems in Ghana participate in this year’s Hajj. He said he had spoken to the Chief Imam and the Hajj Council about the matter. Alhaji Ishaq Alhassan, lawyer for the Interim Hajj Management Committee, told the court that they would cooperate with Alhaji Banda’s regarding his request.The court has therefore given Alhaji Banda up to November 3 to report back to the court.However, after court some supporters of the Interim Hajj Management Committee who were not happy about Alhaji Banda’s interference in the case started insulting him. But for the intervention of the security personnel at the court, they would have beaten him up.The National Hajj Council, On October 2, filed a writ at the Accra High Court seeking an order of perpetual injunction to restrain the offices of the Vice-President and the National Chief Imam from interfering in the operations of the Hajj in Ghana. It was also seeking an order requesting both offices and the defendants to hand over all arrangements made for the 2008 Hajj to the NHC.The council was further seeking an order of perpetual injunction to restrain the Office of the National Chief Imam and the defendants from interfering in the activities of the NHC. In its statement of claim, the NHC had also sought a declaration by the court that the council was the sole and legitimate body charged with the responsibility to organise the Hajj in Ghana by the Muslim community. The other defendants in the case are Alhaji Lumuna Mohammed Muniru of the Ministry of Health; Dr Alhaji Abdul-Wahab Alhassan of the Office of the Vice-President; Sheik Yunus Osman Mohammed of the Pathology Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, and Alhaji Osman Kadri English of the Office of the Chief Imam. The writ was further seeking a declaration that the Interim Hajj Management Committee did not have the mandate of the Muslim community in Ghana to organise Hajj operations. Additionally, it was asking for an order requesting the Office of the Vice-President to unblock access of the NHC to diplomatic facilities for the Hajj of 2008. Another relief is that the Office of the Vice-President should refund, in full, the air fares paid and other expenses incurred by the 728 pilgrims who were not airlifted to Mecca for the 2007 Hajj, plus interest on their air fares at the prevailing bank rate.
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