Minister faces court today over contempt charges

Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo aka Lion, who was sued together with six other persons by Dr. Nii Tetteh Kwei II, Dsaasetse and kingmakers of the Ga Dsaase Paramount Stool for contempt, will appear before Justice J. K. Dorgu, a High Court 12 Judge today, to answer a writ filed against him.

Mr. Afotey Agbo was sued for flouting an injunction application placed on the Homowo celebration and his commentary on radio against the newly installed Ga Mantse, Ga Dsaasetse and the Ga Dsaase Council to the effect that the installation of the new Ga Mantse was an illegality.

It would be recalled that “the legitimate” Dsaasetse of the Ga Traditional Paramountcy, Dr. Nii Tetteh Kwei, and others, filed for an injunction on the Homowo celebrations, but some people and chiefs held the celebration and sprinkled kpoikpoi (Ga delicacy) during the festival.

In view of that Gbese Mantse, Nii Ayi Bonte, otherwise known as Thomas Okine, Adama Latse, Yaote Otoga, David Tackie Commey, Afotey Agbo, and Nii Bi Anyah alias “Fingers,” were cited for contempt.

In the writ filed at the High Court, it was stated that the 2nd, 5th and 6th Respondents, Thomas Okine, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo and Nii Nabi Anyah respectively, at all times acted as the mouthpiece of the 1st Respondent, (George AdamaTackie, aka Latse).

According to the writ, the 6th Respondent, (Afotey Agbo), was on radio on the 14th of August, 2015 on two morning shows on Rainbow FM and Radio Gold, claiming that the pending process has no effect and went on to give armed police protection to the 1st Respondent throughout the conduct, disrespecting the pending process and ensuring that nobody went close to the 1st Respondent.

“That the 6th and 7th Respondents are not parties to SUIT NO. BMISC 863/2015 but they aided and abetted the contempt committed by the other Respondents. ……that in spite of the pending of the injunction application the 2nd Respondent exhibited a total disregard of the law and a complete exhibition of disrespect for the courts by openly declaring that the event that application for injunction was seeking to restrain would go ahead as scheduled.”

It, however, emerged that the defendants during the Homowo went ahead and sprinkled kpoikpoi even though they were much aware of the injunction, pretending they never received any writ or injunction order from the High Court.

The Defendants, according to the writ filed for which Afotey Agbo, who is appearing today in court, have been holding themselves as kingmakers.

The Plaintiffs are praying the court to restrain the defendants from holding themselves as such and Adama Latse from holding himself as Ga Mantse.

Applicants also stated that the conduct and behaviour of the Respondents was an exhibition of gross, unimaginable and unmitigated disrespect for the process of the Honourable Court and without a doubt, contemptuous of court.

In view of these, the applicants are praying the court to impose custodial sentences on the Respondents including Afotey Agbo as the only appropriate punishment for their contumelious behaviour in addition to any other punishment that the court will impose.