�Send Awoamefia Contempt To Ho Court�

Counsel for Professor Kofi Awoonor, Chairman of the Council of State, Dan Abodakpi, Ghana�s High Commissioner to Malaysia, and 11 others who have been hauled to an Accra Fast Track High Court for contempt, on Thursday applied to send the contempt case to Ho High Court. Tony Lithur, Chris Akumey, Peter Okudzeto, Sam Cudjoe, Joe Attipoe and Mrs. Marietta Oppong, counsel for Prof Awonoor and his co-respondents were of the opinion that once the substantive matter was before a High Court in Ho, the contempt application should have been heard there. The 13 persons are before a court presided over by Justice P. Ofori-Atta for allegedly defying an existing court ruling which barred them from out-dooring Patrick Agboba as the 16th Awoamefia of the Anlo Traditional area. They deny any wrongdoing. According to counsel for the respondents, there was no need for the application which was filed by Lieutenant Colonel Courage Togobo (Rtd), to be brought before Justice Ofori-Atta. The lawyers said it should have been heard before the High Court Judge who is hearing the substantive case and not in Accra because it was convenient to do so and cited authorities to buttress their point. Respondents� counsel therefore prayed the court to send the contempt hearing to Ho. However, counsel for the retired Lieutenant Colonel, Ata Akyea said the High Court was a superior court and cases at a High Court could be heard in another High Court. He said a superior court is a superior court, adding that there was nothing wrong if the contempt application was heard in Accra and prayed the court to dismiss the application. The trial judge has adjourned the case to October 21, 2011, for a ruling as to whether to return the contempt case to Ho or go ahead and hear it. At the previous hearing, Sam Quansah, holding brief for Samuel Atta Akyea, informed the court that they had not been able to serve all the respondents in the case. They therefore prayed for time to serve all the respondents. Chris Ackumey, Peter Okudzeto and Samuel Kudjo also informed the court that they had filed an application to set aside the contempt. Lt Col Togobo is a principal member of the Fuiga Agbeve family of the Anloga and Adika Drafor royal gates of the Adzovia clan of Anlo. On November 26, 2003, a Ho-based High Court, presided over by Justice R.K. Apaloo, sentenced some of the respondents, namely Patrick Agboba, whose out-dooring was causing the brouhaha, Togbi Addo VIII, Togbi Honi, and Nyigblanua Eha, for contempt, barring them from selecting, en-stooling, confining, and out-dooring Patrick Agboba as the new Awoamefia. However, an appeal filed by those convicted was overturned by Court of Appeal, presided over by Vida Akoto Bamfo, A. Asare Korang, and J.A. Osei on April 15, 2005, after they had escaped a custodial sentence. They were consequently fined. The retired army officer wants the court to convict the 13 respondents on charges of contempt of court, for defying the court order by out-dooring Patrick Agboba, a retired police officer, as the new Awoamefia. Those hauled before the court for contempt include Professor Kofi Awoonor, Patrick Agboba, Dan Abodakpi, Francis Segbedzi, and Ben Sakpaku. The rest are Agbotadua Kumassah, Philip Agboba Atiasa, Alex Agboba Atiasa, Togbui Addo VIII of Klikor, Togbi Agbesie Awusu II, Togbi Gbordzor III of Woe, Togbi Honi of Klikor, and Nyigblanua Eha II of Anloga.