THE REPUBLIC vs. RICHARD HLORMADOR {RESPONDENT} EX PARTE: ATTIYYATUL AZIZ ABDULLAH {APPLICANT} [2019]DLHC6826

THE REPUBLIC vs. RICHARD HLORMADOR {RESPONDENT} EX PARTE: ATTIYYATUL AZIZ ABDULL... [2019]DLHC6826

Date	2019-06-13
Suit No.	SUIT NO: CR/70/2019
Citation No.	[2019]DLHC6826

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE KWEKU T. ACKAAH-BOAFO

NELSON ATANGA AYAMDOO FOR THE APPLICANT –PRESENT

ANDREWS APPAU OBENG FOR THE RESPONDENT – PRESENT

[2019]DLHC6826
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>RICHARD HLORMADOR {RESPONDENT} EX PARTE:
ATTIYYATUL AZIZ ABDULLAH {APPLICANT}<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: CR/70/2019&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE: 13TH JUNE, 2019<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>NELSON
ATANGA AYAMDOO FOR THE APPLICANT –PRESENT<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">

ANDREWS
APPAU OBENG FOR THE RESPONDENT – PRESENT<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">

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

</div>JUDGMENT<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">

</div>Introduction:<o:p></o:p>[1]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Contempt
of Court is the mechanism which the law provides for the protection of the
authority of the court from improper interference. Contempt arises in many ways
but includes a breach of a court order, an attempt to obstruct the
administration of justice, a deliberate attack upon the integrity of a court or
a judge that interferes with proceedings, or some other form of conduct not
foreseeable. Contempt of court is part of a court's inherent jurisdiction and,
as it is not precisely prescribed or enacted, should be exercised with scrupulous
care and only when the circumstances are clear and beyond reasonable doubt.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[2]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The denial of liberty of any citizen of our Republic resulting from a charge of
contempt is effected in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice.
Even though there is no specific law on contempt in Ghana<a href="file:///F:/ackaa%20boafo%20RULLING/JUDGMENT/New%20folder%20(3)/THE%20REPUBLIC%20VS%20RICHARD%20HLORMADOR%20%7bRESPONDENT%7d%20EX%20PARTE%20ATTIYYATUL%20AZIZ%20ABDULLAH%20%7bAPPLICANT%7d.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="">[1]</a>, the absence of codification of the law of contempt in Ghana does not in
itself violate the principle that there must not be crime or punishment except
in accordance with fixed or pre‑determined law. This is because the charge of
contempt of court in Ghana rests in the concept of the public defiance that accompanies
the charge of contempt.&nbsp; To establish contempt in Ghana the Applicant must
prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused defied or disobeyed a court
order, with intent, knowledge or recklessness as to the fact that the public
disobedience will tend to undermine and attenuate the authority of the court. <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[3]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As
previously stated by this Court<a href="file:///F:/ackaa%20boafo%20RULLING/JUDGMENT/New%20folder%20(3)/THE%20REPUBLIC%20VS%20RICHARD%20HLORMADOR%20%7bRESPONDENT%7d%20EX%20PARTE%20ATTIYYATUL%20AZIZ%20ABDULLAH%20%7bAPPLICANT%7d.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title="">[2]</a>
‘contempt of court is the big stick of civil litigation and because of the
serious nature of a contempt finding, a finding should be made sparingly and
only in the clearest cut of cases. A direct intention to disobey a Court order
or an act to prejudice a pending application or an act to over-reach the Court
is required and it ought to be a willful disregard of the order or prejudice
the outcome of a pending suit in the Court’<a href="file:///F:/ackaa%20boafo%20RULLING/JUDGMENT/New%20folder%20(3)/THE%20REPUBLIC%20VS%20RICHARD%20HLORMADOR%20%7bRESPONDENT%7d%20EX%20PARTE%20ATTIYYATUL%20AZIZ%20ABDULLAH%20%7bAPPLICANT%7d.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title="">[3]</a>.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[4]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Black’s Law Dictionary 8th Edition defines
contempt as </main>