THE REPUBLIC vs. KWAKU OWUSU ADJEI EX PARTE: IVY AUSTIN & 2 ORS [2023]DLHC17218

Date	2023-02-20
Suit No.	SUIT NUMBER: CR/0358/2022
Citation No.	[2023]DLHC17218

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE CONSTANT K. HOMETOWU

SUSALEE A ASARE ESQ

HANS E. K. ADDE ESQ.

[2023]DLHC17218
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THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>

(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>

[HIGH
COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;

<a name="_heading=h.gjdgxs"></a>SUIT NUMBER: CR/0358/2022&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: 20TH FEBRUARY 2023<o:p></o:p>

</div>

COUNSEL&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>

SUSALEE A ASARE, ESQ. FOR
APPLICANTS<o:p></o:p>

HANS E. K. ADDE, ESQ. FOR
RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

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CORAM<o:p></o:p>

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE
CONSTANT K. HOMETOWU<o:p></o:p>

JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>

INTRODUCTION<o:p></o:p>

The matter before the Court is a
Motion on Notice for an Order for Committal for Contempt of Court, filed at the
Registry of this Court on 4th March
2022, pursuant to Order 50 Rule 1 of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules,
2004, CI 47, praying for an order of
Committal against the Respondent for Contempt of Court.<o:p></o:p>

In
the case of the Republic v. Mensa-Bonsu
&amp; Others; Ex Parte Attorney- General [1995-96] 1 GLR 377@403, the
learned Adade JSC (as he then was)
stated as follows:<o:p></o:p>

“There are different forms of
contempt. Underlying all of them, however, is one basic notion, that the roadways and highways of public justice
should at all times be free from obstruction. Conduct which tends to create
such an obstruction constitutes contempt. Thus, interfering with witnesses or
jurors; frightening off parties to litigation; refusing to answer questions in
court; commenting on pending proceedings in such a manner as to prejudice the
outcome; running down the courts and the judges; refusing to obey an order of a
court; any of these, if calculated to, or tend to, impede or obstruct the
course of justice will constitute contempt. And conduct complained of therefore
must be viewed and assessed against the backdrop of this basic principle”.<o:p></o:p>

Parties’ Submissions<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;

APPLICANT’S CASE<o:p></o:p>

In a 19-paragraph affidavit in support
of the Motion, 3rd Applicant, Miranda Ampong, deposed
on her own behalf and on behalf of 1st and 2nd Applicants, inter alia, that Respondent commenced an action against the
Applicants and subsequently obtained a Judgment dated 29th
July 2021 at the District Court, Abeka. However series of
application had since been filed in respect of the Judgment, including, but not
limited to, a Motion on Notice to Set Aside the Judgment; A Motion to Set Aside
the Order Setting Aside the Judgment of the Court, all of which were granted,
culminating in the filing of a Notice of Appeal at the High Court.<o:p></o:p>

According
to deponent, while the court processes were on-going, resulting in a lengthy
legal battle, they filed a Notice of Appeal, annexed as Exhibit MA 6, being
dissatisfied with and aggrieved by the Court’s ruling on the Motion On Notice to Set Aside the Order
Setting Aside the Judgment of the Court.<o:p></o:p>