National Security cited for contempt

A motion on notice for committal for contempt of court has been initiated against the National Security Coordinator by Ezzy Paints Manufacturing Ghana Limited.

This follows the failure of the National Security Coordinator to open the factory it had locked since September 26, 2013.

A human rights court in Accra had in a ruling given the National Security Coordinator a 48-hour ultimatum to “open up the factory and allow the plaintiffs unqualified access to the factory without any further interference from the National Security.”

Counsel for the plaintiffs, Kenneth Kudjordjie, in an affidavit in support of the motion filed at the court, presided over by Justice Anthony K. Yeboah, said the National Security Coordinator had ignored the order, and in open display of insubordination and flagrant disrespect for the court, refused to open up the factory and had by its agents, assents and operatives, caused a structure to be erected on the compound of the factory.

It further stated that the National Security Coordinator, by his action, was calling the bluff of the court and had shown contumacious disrespect of the court, and by inference, disrespect of the whole justice system of the Republic.

According to the affidavit, the National Security Coordinator had shown no iota of willingness to comply with the court’s order and hence, ought to be severely punished for the offence.

It pointed out that the sanctity and the authority of the court needed to be protected and upheld by both the citizenry and officials in high positions in order to promote law and order in the society.

The affidavit further averred that the actions of the National Security, if left punished, would grossly undermine the sanctity and respect for the authority of the court.

At about 10:00 am on the aforementioned date, a certain General Awuni, wielding a purported document from the Chief of Staff, dashed into the offices of the company claiming the land on which the factory was situated is a government property.

He is alleged to have said that the land was ‘stolen’ and sold to the developers—an assertion based on which General Awuni is claimed to have ordered all the workers of the company to move out so he could lock up the facility.

In a fashion reminiscent of the military era, General Awuni, according to DAILY GUIDE sources, further instructed his ‘men’ to break down the defence wall of the company and put it under surveillance.

Officials of the company, nonetheless, have flatly denied occupying a ‘stolen’ government property.

They argued that the land was acquired through due process of the court in 2010 and adhered to the strict dictates of court procedures.

Ezzy Paints Company officials indicated that the property was duly advertised on pages 24 and 18 of the Ghanaian Times editions of Monday, January 4, 2010 and Saturday, January 9, 2010, consequent to the purchase of the property named, “Youth Engineering Centre” at H/No. 30 East Kanda Road, Accra.

A certificate of purchase issued by the Commercial Court Division of the High Court in Accra dated 28th June, 2011 and signed by Mrs Philomena Brown–Acquaye, affirmed the assertions of the company’s officials.

It maintained, “I hereby certify that the within-described property at East Kanda, Accra, was sold for GH¢96,500 at a public auction conducted by Constantco Mart, licensed Auctioneer on 14th January, 2010 at East Kanda, Accra, by Court order and that Kazem Moussa Ezzedine was declared the highest bidder and purchaser.”