Treason trial: Colonel Gameli slapped with contempt

The Accra High Court trying nine persons for treason has sentenced Colonel Samuel Kwadzo Gameli to sign a bond to be of good behaviour for six months for contempt.

Colonel Gameli, one of the accused persons facing abetment of High treason charge, was caught playing audio of the Court’s proceedings whilst Court was in session.

Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, President of the three-member-panel court, whose voice was heard on the audio, called for a warrant officer to seize the cellular phone of Colonel Gameli.

He was then asked how long he had been recording and he confessed that since Wednesday, July 19, 2023.

Asked why he did that and whether he knew whether his action amounted to contempt of court, the accused person said he knew it was contempt, but he had to record the proceedings down for his lawyer, Mr Eric Senyo Pongo, who had not been around.

Justice Stephen Oppong, another Judge on the panel, enquired that had the Court not been telling the court users not to record the Court and Colonel agreed with him.

“Is it the first time your lawyer has been away, then why are you doing this now,” Justice Oppong further probed and Colonel Gameli answered that he did not know why.

That was when Justice Afia Serwaa said with Ghana’s history whereby some judges were martyred, producing and sharing judges’ photos, audio recordings and others with the public was unsafe.

“We don’t feel safe, I feel unsafe,” she added.

She asked why with his calibre, knowing the security implications of the act, would do that.

At the time when the Court was contemplating detaining him till the final determination of the case, Mr Victor Kwadjoga Adawudu, who stood in for Mr Pongo, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy because the Colonel was the only one among the accused persons who had not done anything to incur the wrath of the Court since the trial began.

Justice Afia Serwaa was certain it was not the first time the accused had done that, but Lawyer Adawudu insisted Colonel Gameli was remorseful and assured the Court that whatever was on his phone had been deleted.

“I am so scared right now, how are we supposed to know where he has shared the audio recording?” She questioned.

The phone was then handed over to an IT (Information Technology) expert of the Judicial Service and after checking the phone, he informed the Court that nothing had been shared during that period.

Mr Adawudu, pleading for mitigation, said, “Forgive us our trespasses.”

The Court after finding him guilty, asked him to sign the bond to be of good behaviour, adding that it should be a lesson to everyone in the courtroom.

Justice Afia Serwaa threatened to report the incident to the Chief Justice, adding that in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI), just a sentence from someone could put him in trouble.

Justice Hafisata Amaleboba is the third judge on the panel, and they are all Justices of the Court of Appeal with additional responsibilities as High Court judges.

Colonel Gameli is standing trial with Donya Kafui, Bright Alan Debrah, Johannes Zikpi, WOII Esther Saan Dekiwine, Lance Airforce Corporal Ali Solomon, Corporal Sylvester Akankpewu, Corporal Seidu Abubakar and Assistant Commissioner of Police Dr Benjamin Kwasi Agordzo.