General News of Saturday, 26 September 2020

Source: GNA

Journalists denied access to Kennedy Agyapong's hearing

MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong

Media practitioners covering the contempt case against Kennedy Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin Central, were on Friday denied access to the courtroom.

Police personnel at the High Court hearing the case insisted that he was only following “instructions from above”, and would not allow any media personnel into the courtroom.

However after some exchanges with the police, one media person was allowed to cover on behalf of all the media houses present.

The court at the previous sitting adjourned the matter after lawyers for Mr Agyapong told the court that they have filed a judicial review application at the Supreme Court, asking the court to halt the contempt case against him by an Accra Circuit Court.

The court this morning was expected to have further deliberation with his lawyers on issues of jurisdiction and procedure.

Mr Agyapong, is alleged to have made 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.

Whiles the case was still pending, the court’s attention was drawn to a television (NET2 TV) and radio (Oman FM ) programme allegedly aired on September 2, this year, where the MP was said to have “scandalized and threatened” the court.

A Court order signed on September 9, by Justice Wuni, said, “I hereby summon the said Kennedy Ohene Agyapong per a warrant issued under my hand and seal to appear before the High Court (Land Court 12) on Monday September 14, 2020 at 1000 hours to show cause why he should not be severely punished for contempt, if the matters are proven against him to the satisfaction of the court.”