ELIKPLIM AGBEMAVA vs. ATTORNEY-GENERAL AND ALFRED TUAH-YEBOAH vs. ATTORNEY-GENERAL AND NANA ASANTE BEDIATUO vs. ATTORNEY GENERAL [2018]DLSC3048

ELIKPLIM AGBEMAVA vs. ATTORNEY-GENERAL AND ALFRED TUAH-YEBOAH vs. ATTORNEY-GENE... [2018]DLSC3048

Date	2018-11-21
Suit No.	CONSOLIDATED WRIT NOS. J1/20/2016J1/21/2016J1/23/2016
Citation No.	[2018]DLSC3048

ADINYIRA (MRS) JSC (PRESIDING)

DOTSE JSC

YEBOAH JSC

BAFFOE-BONNIE JSC

BENIN JSC

APPAU JSC

PWAMANG JSC

DR. OWUSU DAPAAH FOR THE PLAINTIFF IN SUIT NO J1/20/2016.

BRIGHT OBENG-MANU FOR THE PLAINTIFF IN SUIT NO J1/21/2016.

AKPOTO AMPAW WITH HIM OFOSUA AMAGYEI (MS) AND PRISCILLA

AKYEAMPONG FOR THE PLAINTIFF IN SUIT NO J1/23/2016.

GRACE OPPONG PRINCIPAL STATE ATTORNEY WITH HER MODESTA LEGIFO

ASSISTANT STATE ATTORNEY FOR THE RESPONDENT.

[2018]DLSC3048
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ELIKPLIM AGBEMAVA vs.&nbsp; ATTORNEY-GENERAL<o:p></o:p>AND<o:p></o:p>ALFRED TUAH-YEBOAH vs.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL<o:p></o:p>AND<o:p></o:p>NANA ASANTE BEDIATUO vs. ATTORNEY
GENERAL<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME 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">

CONSOLIDATED
WRIT NOS. J1/20/2016J1/21/2016J1/23/2016&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; DATE: 21ST NOVEMBER 2018<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>DR. OWUSU DAPAAH FOR THE PLAINTIFF IN SUIT
NO J1/20/2016.<o:p></o:p>BRIGHT OBENG-MANU FOR THE PLAINTIFF IN SUIT
NO J1/21/2016.<o:p></o:p>AKPOTO AMPAW WITH HIM OFOSUA AMAGYEI (MS)
AND PRISCILLA AKYEAMPONG FOR THE PLAINTIFF IN SUIT NO J1/23/2016.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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GRACE OPPONG,
PRINCIPAL STATE ATTORNEY WITH HER MODESTA LEGIFO, ASSISTANT STATE ATTORNEY FOR
THE RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM: <o:p></o:p>ADINYIRA (MRS) JSC (PRESIDING), DOTSE JSC, YEBOAH
JSC, BAFFOE-BONNIE JSC, BENIN JSC, APPAU JSC AND PWAMANG JSC<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;border-right:none;
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<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:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>BENIN,
JSC:-This matter calls for the
court’s interpretation of article 72 of the Constitution, 1992, whether or not
the exercise of the prerogative of mercy extends to conviction for an offence
founded on contempt of court. The court is also called upon to decide whether
the prerogative of mercy is an affront to the independence of the judiciary as
conceived under the Constitution. There is yet a third issue whether the
absence of regulations disables the President from exercising the power
conferred upon him by article 72 of the Constitution. These are the core issues
raised in this case.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Background facts<o:p></o:p>On
the 29th of June, 2016 three people namely, Godwin Ako Gunn,
Alistair Nelson and Salifu Maase alias Mugabe, uttered certain statements on a
talk show broadcast on an Accra radio station known as Montie FM, 100.1 FM,
which were believed to be contemptuous of the Supreme Court, inter alia. On the
5th of July, 2016, those people appeared before this Court on a
summons issued by the court for them to show cause as to why they should not be
held liable for contempt of Court on the grounds of:<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Scandalizing the Court.<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Defying and lowering the authority of the Court.<o:p></o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Bringing the authority of the Court into
disrepute.<o:p></o:p>The
radio discussions concerned an ongoing case before this court. Hence the title
to the contempt proceedings partly bore the title to that case and it reads:
Civil Motion No. J8/108/2016 Abu Ramadan &amp; 1 other v. Electoral Commission
&amp; 1 other. In re 1. The Owner of the Station-Montie FM 2. Salifu Maase @
Mugabe 3. Alistair Nelson 4. Godwin Ako Gunn. That case became popularly known
as the Montie 3 case and will be so described in these proceedings.<o:p></o:p>