THE REPUBLIC vs. NAA KORKOI DUGBATEY II AND 8 OTHERS EX PARTE: NII TETTEH ARMEY II [2018]DLHC4022

THE REPUBLIC vs. NAA KORKOI DUGBATEY II AND 8 OTHERS EX PARTE: NII TETTEH ARMEY... [2018]DLHC4022

Date	2018-04-26
Suit No.	SUIT NO: CR/845/2017
Citation No.	[2018]DLHC4022

JUSTICE KWEKU T. ACKAAH-BOAFO

PRINCE FREDERICK NII ASHIE-NEEQUAYE FOR THE APPLICANT

MUNIRU KASSIM FOR THE 1ST 3RD4TH5TH 6TH 7TH 8TH 9TH RESPONDENTS

JUSTICE ADUSA POKU FOR THE 2ND RESPONDENT

[2018]DLHC4022
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>NAA KORKOI DUGBATEY II AND 8 OTHERS EX PARTE: NII TETTEH ARMEY
II<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[HIGH COURT (GENERAL JURISDICTION DIVISION,
COURT 6) ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</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: CR/845/2017&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE: 23RD
APRIL, 2018<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>COUNSEL:&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>PRINCE
FREDERICK NII ASHIE-NEEQUAYE FOR THE APPLICANT <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>MUNIRU KASSIM FOR THE 1ST,
3RD, 4TH, 5TH, 6TH, 7TH,
8TH, 9TH RESPONDENTS<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

JUSTICE ADUSA POKU FOR THE 2ND
RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<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">

JUSTICE KWEKU T. ACKAAH-BOAFO<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>i.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Introduction:<o:p></o:p>[1]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Black’s
Law Dictionary 8th
Edition defines contempt as “conduct that defies the authority or dignity of a
Court or legislature. Because such conduct interferes with the administration
of justice, it is punishable, usually by fine or imprisonment.” The Oxford
Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English by A.S. Hornby (7th
Edition) also defines contempt of court as “the crime of refusing to obey an
order made by a court; not showing respect for a court or judge.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[2]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
power of the High Court to punish for contempt is provided in S.10 of the
Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and Articles 19(12) and 126 of the 1992
Republican Constitution of Ghana. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>[3]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; There
is no codified legislation in Ghana that defines the act or omission that
constitute the offence of contempt. It therefore stands to reason that Ghanaian
courts resort to case law to resolve any issue regarding contempt when
confronted with one.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;
<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[4]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Supreme Court confirmed the
non-codified nature of contempt in Ghana in the case of IN RE: EFFIDUASE STOOL AFFAIRS
(No.2) EX PARTE AMEYAW II (1998-99) SCGLR 639 @ 660 when His
Lordship Acquah JSC (as he then was)
stated that:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>“My lords, contempt of Court is the
only common law offence still known to our law, as same is saved by article
19(12) of the 1992 Constitution and Section 10 of the Criminal Code, 1960 (Act
29). And unlike other countries where the offence is codified like the English
Contempt of Court Act of 1981, ours is still case law”.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[5]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
Learned jurist, Acquah JSC (as he then was) in the same case EX
PARTE AMEYAW II SUPRA further
judicially articulated what constitutes contempt when he summed up the law in
an apt and concise manner as follows:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>“In
brief, contempt is constituted by any act or omissions tending to obstruct or
interfere with the orderly administration of justice, or to impair the dignity
of the court or respect for its authority.” <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[6]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A
succinct and frequently quoted definition of contempt is found in R
v SITO I; EX PARTE FORDJOUR, where
the Supreme Court offered the following as constituting the offence of
contempt:<o:p></o:p>a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;