THE REPUBLIC vs. VALENTINA NANA AGYEIWAA (AFIA SCHARSNEGER)

RULING On the 1st of December, 2022, the applicant herein was convicted in absentia of contempt of Court and sentenced to 10 days imprisonment, and to execute a bond to be of good behavior for two years or in default two months in hard labour with no option of a fine. Dissatisfied with the sentence, she applied to this Court for variation of the Court sentence under order 50 rule 4(1) and 5(1) of C.I 47. Contempt of COURT, as I said, in my ruling on 1st December, 2022, is against the Court, and not against any individual. The applicant, whilst the application was pending rendered an unqualified apology to the Court. I believe, the applicant has learnt a bitter lesson over this period of time; that it does not pay to make mockery of judicial proceedings. Everybody, I believe deserves a second chance. I will, therefore, exercise the powers vested in me under order 50 rule 5 (1) of C.I 47 to substitute a fine of 5,000 penalty units for the 10 days imprisonment....