Fire Service Officer jailed for assaulting court bailiff

An officer of the Ghana National Fire Service, (GNFS), Emmanuel Ayitah Quansah has been jailed for two days for Contempt of Court after assaulting a Court Bailiff.

The officer in question is said to have assaulted the Bailiff who was serving a process on the (him) in the case in which he is the respondent but the officer and his household “teamed up to beat up the Bailiff.”

Lawyers of the victim led by Theophilus Donkor, Counsel for the Judicial Service Staff Association told the court that, the attention of the Association has been drawn to recent surge in the assault of bailiff who are performing their official duties.

Counsel told the court that, the officer being a Serving Fire Service Officer ought to have known that the Bailiff was performing his official duties.

And “if any he had any challenge with the process or the mode the Bailiff was using he could have come to Court to verify.”

Justice Sarah Aryee, a Justice of the High Court said, “from the Court’s record, the Bailiff was entrusted with a process to serve on the Respondent in this matter.”

The court said, “the Respondent (Officer) refused to accept the process and the Bailiff threw it at him.”

The Officer according to the Court, “decided to beat him up” the Bailiff after the officer said “the Bailiff should have served him in his office.”

According to the court, the Officer said “the Bailiff should come to his office or should have gone to his office does not mean he should be beaten.”

“Counsel for the Judicial Service has informed the court about how Bailiffs are constantly assaulted. This Canker has to be nibbed in the bud.

“The Respondent is found Guilty of Contempt of Court, since he failed to purge himself when the court gave him the opportunity to do so before the court.

“The Respondent is sentenced to a Custodial Sentence of two (2) days imprisonment.

Meanwhile the substantive matter titled ‘Estate of Madam Diana Lamiorkor with suit No. PA0884/2023 has been adjourned to the 24th of July, 2023.

It was the case of Theophilius Donkor, Counsel for JUSAG that, in this instance the Bailiff was serving a process on the Respondent and the Respondent and his Household teamed up to beat up the Bailiff.

Counsel said, “the Respondent being a Serving Fire Service Officer ought to have known that the Bailiff was performing his official duties and if any he had any challenge with the process or the mode the Bailiff was using he could have come to Court to verify.”

“He (Counsel) should not have resorted to taking the law into his own hands. There is evidence of the Bailiff having been beaten on record. We pray he is given a custodial sentence,” he told the court.