THE REPUBLIC. vs. ABUSUAPANIN OHENEBA KWAME GYAN AND 13 OTHERS , EX PARTE: NANA AFUA SARFOA [2021]DLCA10072

THE REPUBLIC. vs. ABUSUAPANIN OHENEBA KWAME GYAN AND 13 OTHERS , EX PARTE: NANA... [2021]DLCA10072

Date	2021-02-10
Suit No.	SUIT NO. H1/17/2020
Citation No.	[2021]DLCA10072

CECILIA SOWAH J.A. (PRESIDING)

ANTHONY OPPONG J. A.

ANGELINA MENSAH-HOMIAH J.A.

K. AMOAKO ADJEI WITH ADWOA AMOAKO ADJEI ESQ FOR RESPONDENT/APPELLANTS

GABRIEL ODAME ODUFU ESQ FOR APPLICANT/RESPONDENT

[2021]DLCA10072
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >THE REPUBLIC.<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>ABUSUAPANIN OHENEBA KWAME GYAN AND 13 OTHERS<o:p></o:p>(APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p>EX PARTE: NANA AFUA SARFOA<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>[COURT
OF APPEAL, KOFORIDUA]<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

SUIT NO. H1/17/2020&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:10TH
FEBRUARY, 2021<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>K.
AMOAKO ADJEI WITH ADWOA AMOAKO ADJEI ESQ FOR RESPONDENT/APPELLANTS<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

GABRIEL
ODAME ODUFU ESQ FOR APPLICANT/RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>CECILIA SOWAH J.A. (PRESIDING),
ANTHONY OPPONG J. A., ANGELINA MENSAH-HOMIAH J.A.<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0cm;">

<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:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;ANTHONY OPPONG,
J A:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The appellants were attached for
contempt at the instance of the respondent at the High Court, Koforidua. The
contempt was against the Judicial Committee of the Akuapem Traditional Council
which issued a certificate of contempt in accordance with section 33(8) of the Chieftaincy Act, 2008 (Act 758). On the face
of the record, there is controversy as to the regularity of the proceedings
culminating in the ruling of the Judicial Committee of the Akuapem Traditional
Council whereby they certified that the respondents should be prosecuted for
contempt at the High Court. The appellants contended that they were not made
aware of the hearing date and thus were denied the right to be heard. Since no
issue was raised as to the propriety of the certification, the Court would
refrain from commenting any further on that matter.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The High Court after listening to
arguments for and against the application for contempt committed the appellants
and sentenced them. Dissatisfied of the decision of the High Court on the
matter, the appellants, that is, the 1st, 4th, 5th,
6th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th
filed Notice of Appeal and sought an order setting aside the committal and the
sentence. The grounds of the appeal are:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;a.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The judgment is against the weight of
evidence on the record<o:p></o:p>b.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Court misdirected itself on the
legal effect of an abdication of a chief by a letter<o:p></o:p>c.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The committal cannot be supported
having regard to the evidence<o:p></o:p>d.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The sentence is harsh and excessive
having regard to all the circumstances of the case<o:p></o:p>e.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Other grounds of appeal may be filed
upon receipt of the full record of appeal.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Before these grounds would be
discussed, looking at the facts giving rise to this appeal will be apposite.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;The 4th appellant, Nana Frimpong
Kodua II (known in private life as Kwaku Frimpong) who was the chief of
Atweasin was alleged to have willingly and voluntarily abdicated his occupation
of the Atweasin Amadi Affam Stool as the chief thereof and in his place, the
respondent, the queen mother of Atweasin enstooled a new chief in the person of
Nana Kwabena Osae Abotow amidst protestations of some other king makers. Those who
opposed the installation of the new chief particularly, 1st
appellant, the abusuapanin of the royal Ayokoo family of Atweasin, Aburi,
petitioned the Judicial Committee of the Akuapim Traditional Council claiming
that by virtue the manner the respondent herein went about disregarding custom
in purporting to enstool Nana Kwabena Osae Abotow she rendered herself unfit to
continue to be queen mother of the royal family of Atweasin and by way of main
relief prayed the Committee for destoolme</main>