REPUBLIC vs. MINERALS COMMISSION AND ANOTHER; EX PARTE BADU [2000]DLHC467

Date	2000-01-11
Suit No.
Citation No.	[2000]DLHC467

SAMPSON J

BRIGHT-GAISIE FOR THE APPLICANT.

DZAKUMA FOR THE RESPONDENT-CONTEMNORS.

[2000]DLHC467
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
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mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">MINERALS COMMISSION AND ANOTHER; EX PARTE BADU<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, SEKONDI]<o:p></o:p>[1999-2000] 2 GLR 73<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:right;
mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">Date: 11
JANUARY 2000<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>BRIGHT-GAISIE FOR THE APPLICANT.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

DZAKUMA FOR THE
RESPONDENT-CONTEMNORS. <o:p></o:p>

</div>JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>Sampson J. <o:p></o:p>On 16 November 1999 the respondents herein were found guilty of
contempt of court and were committed to a term of imprisonment each for three
months without hard labour. The contemnors were further committed to a fine of
¢5 million or in default three months’ imprisonment without hard labour; the
sentences were to run consecutively.<o:p></o:p>On that same day, Mr Johnny Francois, the incumbent chief
executive of the Minerals Commission and representative of the commission, was
granted bail in his own recognisance to appear in the court on 30 November 1999
to fulfil the order of the court dated 21 May 1999 by payment into court of an
amount of ¢12, 925,475.29. On the adjourned date, 30 November as aforesaid, Mr
Johnny Francois, the contemnor or the representative of the commission-contemnor
or both was absent in court with an apology via a medical report dated 29
November 1999, signed by Dr Emmanuel Tsegah of the Holy Heights Clinic, Accra,
granting excuse duty to him for three days only.<o:p></o:p>On the strength of the medical report, the matter was adjourned to
Thursday, 9 December for hearing at the instance of counsel for the parties
herein. At the next adjourned date, ie 9 December, Mr Johnny Francois failed to
appear in court and Mr Dzakuma, counsel for the contemnors, told the court:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“I apologise for the absence of the contemnors in court today. I
do not know why they are not in court today. I was in Cape Coast all day
yesterday. So I did not get in touch with them personally. I do not have
instructions regarding their absence in court today.”<o:p></o:p>And without more, Mr Sekyi Hughes, learned counsel for the
applicant, applied to the court for a bench warrant to issue for the arrest of
Mr Johnny Francois to be brought to court. Counsel’s oral application for a
bench warrant was granted by the court and the court thereby ordered a bench
warrant to issue for the arrest of the contemnor, Francois, to be brought to
court on 16 December 1999.<o:p></o:p>On the next adjourned date, ie 16 December, the court’s attention
was drawn by counsel for the contemnors to an order of the Supreme Court as
follows:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“In the Supreme Court of Ghana. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">Certificate of the order of the Supreme Court. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">Civil Motion <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">No 62/99 <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">The Republic <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">V<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">The High Court, Sekondi; <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">