THE REPUBLIC vs. NANA OSEI BONSU ll, MAMPONGHENE EX PARTE: OBAAPANIN AFUA AMADIE

Two contestants vied for installation as queenmother of Asante Mampong: the first appellant's nominee and Nana Yaa Adwubi (third respondent). The first appellant's nominee petitioned the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs challenging the nomination and installation of the third respondent by the Mamponghene (first respondent), alleging breach of customary procedure and seeking declarations and injunctions to restrain the installation. Despite a motion for injunction, the third respondent was installed on 29 February 2000. The appellants filed a motion for contempt against the respondents for proceeding with the installation while the petition and injunction motion were pending. The High Court convicted the respondents for contempt, but the Court of Appeal allowed their appeal. The Supreme Court was called to resolve the matter.

BROBBEY, J S C. This case started when two contestants were vying to be installed as the queenmother of Asante Mampong. One will be described as the nominee of the first appellant. The other contestant was Nana Yaa Adwubi, the third respondent. The case of the appellants was that first appellant’s nominee intimated to the Mamponghene, the first respondent, that she was interested in being considered for installation as the queenmother of Asante Mampong. When the nominee’s supporters realized that the first respondent was bent on nominating the third respondent in preference to her, they filed a petition in the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs asking for the following reliefs: (a) A declaration that members of the Botase Royal family are eligible to occupy both male and female stools of Mampong. (b) A declaration that, without having taken a decision on the application of the first appellant’s nominee, the first respondent’s nomination of the third respondent as the queenmothe...