Court suspends Ramogapi’s BHC board powers

Justice Mokwadi Gabanagae on Tuesday ordered that the June 26 ruling obtained by Ramogapi be temporarily stayed with immediate effect and also barred the Minister from implementing any part of that order until the court hears an application seeking to have it set aside. The court also issued a rule nisi (temporary court order), directing Ramogapi and the Attorney General to appear before the High Court on July 13 to show cause why the June 26 order should not be rescinded.

Ramogapi had approached the High Court on an urgent and ex parte basis on June 26 after dissolving the BHC Board. In his application, the Minister argued that because there was no functioning board, the corporation faced a governance vacuum that threatened its day-to-day operations. He asked the court to declare that, as the Minister responsible for BHC, he could lawfully perform the statutory functions of the Board until a new board was appointed.