IGP for contempt

The Estate manager of CODCO Company Limited, which is into real estate development, has dragged four persons to court, including the current Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Alhassan after some police officers prevented the firm from carrying out its legal duties on the land contrary to a court order on the alleged instructions of a superior officer.

The plaintiff, John Gbadago filed the motion for contempt after one Kwaku Agyekum filed an application at an Accra Fast Track High Court to restrain the real estate company from working on the land, which the court refused to grant.

The respondents include Kwaku Agyekum, Mansa Okley, his wife and the director of CPS security Services Accra, whose staff have also been used by the couple to stop CODCO from working on their land.

In the motion for contempt filed at the offices of Pwamang& Associates on February 2013 in Accra, the applicant, in his affidavit in support of the motion, said the company was in possession of land at East Legon.

He said Agyekum served them an application for interlocutory injunction at a Fast Track High Court, claiming he is the rightful owner of the land, which CODCO bought 10 years ago and they consequently entered appearance and filed an affidavit in opposition.

The applicant noted that the court, presided over by Justice Anthony, held that even though both parties bought the land from the same stool, Agyekum bought the land in 2012 while CODCO bought it in 2004, adding that the interest of the Agyekum could not override that of those who bought it earlier.

According to him, the court refused to grant the application and Agyekum claimed they would restrain the CODCO workers themselves.

Mr. Gbadago observed that the Agyekum consequently sought the services of CPS security and some unknown land guards to prevent them from working on the land.

In addition, the applicant said the first respondent engaged the services of some police officers to violate the court order in spite of the fact that they were informed about the court’s decision.

He said the action of the police officers brought the administration of justice into disrepute, adding that they disrespected the court.

The estate manager wants the court to convict the respondents untill they purged themselves of their contempt.