Gomoa Chief jailed for contempt

The Agona Swedru High Court has jailed the Gomoa Abaasa Omankrado, Nana Kweku Krah Agyemang 11 and seven others for contempt.

The others are Kofi Afful, Gomoa Central Constituency Vice Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC); Kobina Ansah aka Nana Okwadum Ansah, ex-chief of Gomoa Abaasa; Yaw Alhasan, chief Imam of Gomoa Abaasa; Kobina Kwansah, Abusuapanyin; Kweku Anim; Kwesi Fenyi and Kwesi Dum, opinion leaders.

The defendants were cited for contempt following the defamation statement made against Nana Okwadum Atta IX, chief of Gomoa Abaasa, after the Judicial Committee of the Gomoa Ajumako Traditional Area had ruled in his favour as Odikro.

Nana Okwadum Atta did not take the matter kindly and sued them, demanding damages.

Justice Peter Dei Offei, who presided over the court, in a ruling said the ‘defiant defendants’ in 2014 while the matter was before the court, wrote a resolution against the decision of the Judicial Committee.

The court indicated that copies of the resolution signed by the defendants were circulated to the Committee, the Agona Swedru Divisional Police Commander, Agona Swedru Divisional Commander of the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) and others to declare their stance.

According to the court, the resolution disregarded and lowered the powers of the Judicial Committee of the Traditional Council.

It also ruled that the defendants’ behaviour was an obvious attempt to show disrespect and an effort made to bring the Committee into disrepute, which must be condemned.