[2014]DLHC12129 Login to Read Full Case <span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;color:#00B0F0">NANA OKAI ADDO,</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"> </span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; color:#00B0F0">COMET PROPERTIES LIMITED <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">(APPLICANTS)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;color:#00B0F0">NUMO ODARTEY LANKWEI & 2 ORS<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">(RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">SUIT NOS. E1/70/06, E1/71/06 DATE: 4</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;"><span style="font-size: 10px;">TH </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">JUNE 2014<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">COUNSEL <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">FELIX NTOSO LED BY PROSPER NYAHE FOR APPLICANTS<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">EDWARD DARLINGTON FOR RESPONDENTS<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">CORAM<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE JOHN AJET-NASAM<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0cm;"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;border:none; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">RULING<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">This Court delivered its Judgment on the case involving herein parties on the 23<sup>rd</sup> day of December 2013. It is this Judgment, in their quest to enforce it, by the applicants that the respondents were alleged to have committed contempt.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">At a first glance at the application, one cannot deduce that it is a contempt application. The title/heading has not been couched as the normal way of heading contempt applications. Learned Counsel for applicant’s attention had been drawn to many times but he has been adamant. It is in reading the body of the motion that one could see the respondent as one Nana Odeneho Kyeremanteng. What had been done by applicants is a jumble.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">However, as it is not the form but substance, I will gloss over this technicality. As said earlier, one is at a loss whether Comet Properties Limited as a second plaintiff has also been cited here. This is a Limited Liability Company. It is therefore incumbent on the applicants to serve it at its registered office and on the Company Secretary not a typist as done here by the applicant.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">The arguments for contempt can be found in paragraphs 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12. In all, the applicant is saying, the respondent had gone unto the land, cleared it under armed guard. There were pictures attached to the application.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">The respondent, Nana Odeneho Kyeremanteng deposed that he did not go unto the land and the photographs attached do not reflect the demarcated land. The respondent Nana Odeneho Kyeremanteng argues as a lawyer of high standing he would not either by himself or in concert with others willful disobey or disrespect a Judgment of any Court.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">The <b>Supreme Court in Ex-parte Ameyaw II (No. 2) reported in [1998-99] S C G L R 639</b>, held in holding (2) thus:-<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent: -36.0pt;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"> <b><i>“Since contempt of Court was quasi – criminal and the punishment for it might include a fine or imprisonment, the standard proof required was proof beyond reasonable doubt. An applicant must, therefore, fixes make out a prima facie case of contempt before the Court could consider the defences put upon by the respondents”.<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">I have today delivered a Judgment on contempt. This is the case of <b>The Republic Vrs Executive Director, E O C O & 2 Ors; Ex-parte Christopher Animako, Suit No FTRM/116/14.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">In the said case I referred to <b><i>Ex-parte Fordjour [2001 - 2002] S C G L R 322</i></b> where the essential elements in dealing with the offence of contempt have been laid down. It stated:- <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent: -36.0pt;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"> <b><i>“(i) There must be a Judgment or Order requiring the contemnor to do or abstain from doing something:<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent: -36.0pt;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"> (ii) It must be shown that the contemnor knows what precisely he is expected to do or abstain from doing; and<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent: -36.0pt;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"> (iii) It must be shown that the failed to comply with the terms of the Judgment or Order and that disobedience is willful”.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent: -36.0pt;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:119.7pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">In this instant application, the applicant attached some pictures. I do not see how these pictures connect the respondent to it. The bulldozer captured too, does not bear any inscription of Comet Properties Limited or anything. There is