The High Court in Accra has dismissed contempt charges brought against North Tongu Member of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, by Secretary to the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral, Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng.
Lawyers of the Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng filed the contempt charges after the MP was cited in a video refusing to be served with court processes relating to a defamation suit brought against him and kicking the documents with his foot in the process.
Rev. Kusi Boateng has sued the NDC legislator for making publications suggesting that he is engaged in a conflict of interest and double identity for allegedly operating under another name, Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.
The court on Tuesday however dismissed the contempt charges on the grounds that the bailiff was not a certified staff of the judicial service.
According to the Judge, the Chief Justice in 2021 directed that writs should only be served by members of the Judicial Service. But the court noted that the alleged bailiff is not a staff of the Judicial Service hence the process cannot be said to be legitimate.
The case was also dismissed on grounds that the alleged bailiff did not follow processes meant to be followed in serving a member of parliament who is on parliamentary duties or on his way to parliament as was claimed by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa February 3, 2023, when the incident occurred.
The Judge also in delivering his ruling indicated that the applicants did not prove the contempt charge beyond reasonable doubt as there were inconsistencies in the facts presented before the court.
Justice Charles Gyamfi Dabkwah dismissed the case and Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng was handed a cost of GHC10,000.
Source: citifmonline
