THE REPUBLIC vs. KELVIN OFORI-ATTA EX PARTE: NII ASHONG SOWAH-DIN [2019]DLHC6857

Date	2019-06-14
Suit No.	SUIT NO: CR/186/2019
Citation No.	[2019]DLHC6857

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE KWEKU T. ACKAAH-BOAFO

MR. ADDO ATUAH FOR THE APPLICANT

JUSTIN AMENUVOR FOR THE RESPONDENT

[2019]DLHC6857
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>KELVIN OFORI-ATTA<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>EX PARTE: NII ASHONG SOWAH-DIN<o:p></o:p>(APPLICANT)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT (GENERAL JURISDICTION DIVISION, COURT 6),
ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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SUIT
NO: CR/186/2019&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE: 14TH JUNE, 2019<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL: <o:p></o:p>MR. ADDO ATUAH FOR THE
APPLICANT <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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JUSTIN
AMENUVOR FOR THE 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;
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HIS
LORDSHIP JUSTICE KWEKU T. ACKAAH-BOAFO<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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</div>APPLICATION
FOR COMMITTAL FOR CONTEMPT<o:p></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 Applicant has brought this application on
his own behalf and on behalf as the Head of Tsie-We Family of Teshie against
the Respondent to vindicate the law and its sanctions. He accuses the
Respondent of breaking the law by disrespecting a judgment of the court,
thereby bringing the administration of justice into disrepute. <o:p></o:p>[2]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Black’s Law Dictionary, the 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>[3]&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.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>[4]&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 sounds to reason that Ghanaian courts resort to case law to
resolve any issue regarding contempt when confronted with one.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[5]&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>“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>[6]&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>“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>