THE REPUBLIC vs. CIRCUIT COURT ACCRA (RESPONDENT) EX PARTE: GIFTY OWARE-ABOAGYE (APPLICANT) AND THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE POLICE HEADQUARTORS AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (INTERESTED PARTIES) [2015]DLHC4731

THE REPUBLIC vs. CIRCUIT COURT ACCRA (RESPONDENT) EX PARTE: GIFTY OWARE-ABOAGYE... [2015]DLHC4731

Date	2015-11-30
Suit No.	SUIT NO: HRCM 4/2016
Citation No.	[2015]DLHC4731

DENNIS ADJEI J. A

MS OFOSUA ANIAGYEI HOLDING THE

BRIEF OF NANA ASANTE BEDIATUO FOR THE APPLICANT

CECIL ADADEVOR (PSA) FOR THE RESPONDENT

[2015]DLHC4731
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>CIRCUIT COURT ACCRA<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>EX PARTE: GIFTY
OWARE-ABOAGYE (APPLICANT) AND THE
INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE POLICE HEADQUARTORS AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (INTERESTED PARTIES)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH
COURT, ACCRA]<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">

SUIT NO: HRCM 4/2016&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE: 30TH NOVEMBER,
2015<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL: <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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MS
OFOSUA ANIAGYEI HOLDING THE <o:p></o:p>

BRIEF
OF NANA ASANTE BEDIATUO FOR THE APPLICANT <o:p></o:p>

CECIL
ADADEVOR (PSA) FOR THE RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>HIS
LORDSHIP SIR DENNIS ADJEI J. A,<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%;
border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>The
applicant is before this Court to invoke its supervisory jurisdiction over the
Circuit Court with respect to the application granted by a Circuit Court Accra
in suit no. 21/140/16 entitled "Motion Ex parte: for application for order
to stop LET MY VOTE COURT ALLIANCE', Alliance for Accountable Governance
(AFAG). The movement for change, coalition for Free, Fair and Transparent
Elections from Demonstrating on the 29/09/2015, Public Order Act 1994 Section
106). <o:p></o:p>The
applicant is seeking from this court a declaration that the restraining order
of the Circuit Court Accra dated 28th September, 2015, was made without
jurisdiction and it also breached the audi alterem partem rule and should be
quashed by an order of certiorari. <o:p></o:p>The
facts of the applicant's case is that on 1st September, 2015 a movement in
which she is a member and known as "Let my Vote Count Alliance" wrote
to the Police in accordance with Section 1 of the Public Order Act, 1994 (Act
491) to notify them of the day, time and place of their intended demonstration.
The police invited the members of "Let my Vote Count Alliance" to a
meeting to discuss the impending demonstration. After the meeting "Let my
vote Count Alliance” wrote another letter to the police to assure them of their
intention to peaceful picket the parliament House and the Electoral Commission.
The Police initially agreed to the date, time and the route for the
demonstration. All of a sudden the police went to the Circuit Court to obtain
an interim injunction on 14th September, 2015 when no substantive action or
suit was pending. <o:p></o:p>The
proceedings from the Circuit court on 28th September, 2015 states as follows: <o:p></o:p>"Prosecutor
moves motion ex-parte praying for an order directed at the Let my vote Count
Alliance, Alliance for Accountable Governance. The movement for change,
coalition for Free, Fair and Transparent Election, from Demonstrations on the
29th September, 2015 and comes under Section 1(C.) of the Public Order Act,
1994. <o:p></o:p>Moves
in terms of the motion paper and the supporting affidavit and prays
accordingly. <o:p></o:p>BY COURT: <o:p></o:p>The
application is granted". <o:p></o:p>A
look at the applicant's application raises three major issues and they are; <o:p></o:p>i.
Whether or not a Circuit Court is served with jurisdiction to entertain a suit
filed under Section (1) of the Public Order Act; (2) Whether or not the
ex-parte application not premised on any substantive suit was proper and
whether the applicant and the members of her movement were denied a hearing
when they were injuncted ex parte without giving them a hearing. <o:p></o:p>Article
141 of the Constitution of Ghana, 1992 confers supervisory jurisdiction on the
High Court to supervise all the lower courts and lower adjudicating
authorities. Article 141 provides as follows: <o:p></o:p>"The High Court shall have
supervisory jurisdiction over all lower courts and any lower adjudicating
authority; and may, in the exercise of that jurisdiction, issue orders and directions
for the purpose of enforcing or securing the enforcement of its Supervisory
Powers". <o:p></o:p>Article
141 of the Constitution was reproduced with explanations under Section 16 of
the Courts Act, Act 459. It provides thus: <o:p></o:p>"The High Court shall have supervisory
jurisdiction over all lower courts and any lower adjudicating authority; any
may, in the exercise of th</main>