Senior Judge Honora Rudimch, in a two-page order, said since Special Prosecutor Michael Copeland “has willfully failed to proceed against the defendant, thereby the court hereby dismisses the above matter case for lack of prosecution.”
The order said the court did not accept the plea agreement presented by Copeland.
Copeland’s argument was that Kuartei was a high ranking official and that a conviction might disrupt the minister’s ability to travel to the United States.
Rudimch said it is not a sufficient excuse to justify the dismissal of the DUI.
“This is so, particularly in light of Copeland’s confident representation to the court that he had sufficient evidence against the defendant,” the ruling said.
The order further stated that alcohol-related vehicular collisions are a major problem and the court’s role is to ensure “justice and equal treatment of the law.”
Copeland tried to file a motion to dismiss the case without prejudice, but the court denied the motion.
He then informed the court he was not prepared to go to trial.
Copeland said even if he was prepared to go to trial that afternoon, he was not going to present any witnesses and that it was not in the best interest of the country to prosecute Kuartei.
“Mr. Copeland’s argument is without merit and questions why this case was filed in the first place, particularly in the light of Mr. Copeland’s confidence that there is sufficient evidence to support the charges against the defendant and his witnesses are readily available to testify,” the order stated.
