Court cites 4 for contempt
The Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Justin Kofi Dorgu, on January 23, 2023, found four people guilty of contempt.
Nii Ayinsah Sasraku, Nii Akwei Bonsu, Nii Kojo Ashamflo, alias Bishop Nii Aflah Sackey, and Nii Appiah were said to have gone against the ruling of the Ga Traditional Council.
The council ruled that it was only the Nii Okpe family of James Town that can be Dzase or Kingmakers, who can enstool the Paramount Chief of Ngleshie Alata.
“Each respondent is sentenced to a fine of 200 penalty units or in default, serve a term of 14 days imprisonment.”
The court also heard that first, second and third respondents, on March 21, 2022, posted on the internet proceedings of a press conference they organised to outdoor a new Dzasetse for Ngleshie Alata, in the name of Nii Kojo Ashamflo III.
On February 1, 2022, the fourth respondent wrote a letter in which he claimed to be the Ngleshie Alata Dzasetse even though he hailed from the Adanse We, and not the Okpe Family.
The court found all the four respondents “guilty of Acts designed to encourage the disobedience to lawful decisions of the courts, usurping the court’s interpretative powers, obstructing the course of justice and bringing the dignity and authority of the courts of competent jurisdiction into public ridicule and contempt. I find them guilty of contempt charges against them and convict them accordingly.
He said it was a simple question of whether or not the respondents were members of the Nii Okpe Family.
The judge said “it had long been established that, it is only of persons of the Nii Okpe Family that constitute the Dzase of James Town and for that matter, the Kingmakers.”
“On the issue of capacity, Nii Okpe, the applicant has been able to prove to my satisfaction that, he is Nii Okpe V, having been enstooled or installed and outdoored as such. To me, the proof offered by the applicant is more authentic than the challenge put up by the respondents.”
Mr Benjamin Sevor, and Naomi Onumah, represented the applicant, George Heward-Mils and Abiana Mensah Yawson represented the first, second and third respondents. Kwesi Adjenim-Boateng, represented the fourth respondents.
BY FRANCIS XAH