THE REPUBLIC vs. MR AKRASI SARPONG AND MARY MENSAH EX PARTE: JAMES ELEKE CHUKWU SUNNY IKECHUKWU BENJY EKE

JUDGMENT Background [1] This is an application for an order to commit the Respondents for contempt of court. The application was first filed on 8 July 2016 with an amended application filed on 15 July 2016. The 1st Respondent, Mr. Yaw Akrasi Sarpong used to be the Executive Secretary of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB), the body charged with the responsibility of fighting drug menace. The 2nd Respondent, Ms. Mary Mensah, is a journalist who reports for the Daily Graphic newspaper. [2] The brief facts are that on 13 June 2016, the High Court, Accra, presided over by His Lordship Mr. Justice Justin K. Dorgu granted bail to the Applicants herein who are also Accused persons in a case pending before that Court, that is to say, THE REPUBLIC V JAMES ELEKE CHUKU & 1 ANOR IN SUIT NO. CR/65/2016. After bail was granted to the Applicants in the pending trial, the 1st Respondent granted an interview to the 2nd Respondent who reported, authored and/or caused a news article to be published ...