Journalists covering the contempt proceedings against Assin Central Member of Parliament, Kennedy Agyapong have been denied access to the courtroom.
The Land division of the High Court is currently hearing legal arguments on whether it can proceed to hear the charge against the Member of Parliament despite processes filed by his lawyers at the Supreme Court for intervention.
Justice Amos Wuntah Wuni is expected to give a ruling on this interlocutory issue, to either proceed to hear the case, or to stand down the proceedings and wait for the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Members of the Judicial Press Corps present at the Court to cover the proceedings were prevented from entering the courtroom.
Police personnel at the court said they were only following “instructions from above”.
It is unclear which “above” the instructions are coming from and to what end.
The journalists after long exchanges with the police were allowed to send in a representative to cover on behalf of all the media houses present at the court.
Case proceedings
Mr. Agyapong is in court for allegedly making a statement deemed contemptuous in the case in which Susan Bandoh and Christopher Akuetteh Kotei had sued him, one Ibrahim Jaja, Nana Yaw Duodu aka Sledge and the Inspector General of Police in a land dispute.
On a show aired on Net2 TV, the MP is said to have “scandalised and threatened” the court.
The Chief Justice was petitioned to take action against Mr. Agyapong because of the comments.
The petition was written by one, Sulemana Issifu, who described Mr. Agyapong’s conduct as “monumental impunity against the courts.”
The Land Court division of the High Court recalled the case today after it adjourned the contempt proceedings to allow the court and lawyers for the legislator to further deliberate on questions of jurisdiction and procedure for the case.
