Advertisement

Stop sending us "contemptous" letters - Supreme Court warn

Justice William Atuguba is President of the Nine-member panel hearing the 2012 election petitionThe Supreme Court hearing the ongoing election petition has asked the public to desist from writing letters to the court since such actions were contemptuous.

At Wednesday morning’s hearing, the court revealed that it has been receiving letters from all manner of persons making suggestions to the court on the ongoing case.

The President of the nine-member panel, Justice William Atuguba who made this known said the action was “unwholesome”.

He said some of the letters are from people, some of whom are “highly placed…some, we are surprised at the names.”

Justice Atuguba cautioned that such people don’t know technically that it was wrong to write to the court in that manner.

“Such things are also contemptuous”, he cautioned.

“As we say, lay men don’t know. Let the messages cease. It is also contemptuous,” he warned.

The court has already jailed two persons and barred another from attending the hearing of the case for scandalising the dignity of the court.

The Editor of the Daily Searchlight, Kenneth Agyei Kuranchie, and a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) communication team, Stephen Atubiga, were on July 2, 2013 sentenced to 10 days and three days’ imprisonment respectively, for falling foul of the court’s order to people to desist from making prejudicial comments about the ongoing petition.

Atubiga has since completed his jail term, while Kuranchie is expected to be out on Thursday.

The first person to suffer the court’s punishment was the Deputy Communications Director of the NPP, Mr Sammy Awuku, who had accused the court of being selective and hypocritical for expressing displeasure at a Daily Guide news report.

Kuranchie and Atubiga were found guilty of criminal contempt, in clear contravention of the Supreme Court’s June, 24, 2013 order which directed all persons to desist from making prejudicial comments and distortion of facts in the ongoing presidential election petition.

The court began cracking its legal whip after several warnings to lawyers, social commentators, political activists and journalists for decorum had gone unheeded.

The election petition has been filed by three leaders of the NPP – Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who was the party’s presidential candidate for the 2012 elections; his running mate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and NPP chairman, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey.

They have asked the court to annul some votes as a result of alleged irregularities they say gave President John Mahama victory.

Story: Enoch Darfah Frimpong / Graphic.com.gh / Ghana

Writer's email: [email protected]

Connect With Us : 0242202447 | 0551484843 | 0266361755 | 059 199 7513 |