Minister cited for contempt; Ayi Bonte, Adama Latse on the run

Today can report that the plaintiffs in the Ga Mantse suit led by Dr. Nii Tetteh Kwei II have filed contempt application against six defendants including the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, for flouting an injunction placed on the Ga Mashie Homowo celebration.

Even though Nii Tetteh Kwei who claimed to be the legitimate Dsasetse of the Ga Traditional Paramountcy, and others filed for an injunction on the celebrations at an Accra High Court, some people went ahead to sprinkle the kpoikpoi (Ga delicacy prepared during the celebration of Homowo)during the Homowo, this paper gathered.

The defendants including Gbese Mantse Nii Ayi Bonte II, Adama Latse II, Yaote Otoga, David Tackie Commey, Afotey Agbo, and Nii Bi Anyah alias Fingers, have all been cited for contempt for disregarding the injunction.

According to a writ filed in court, the defendants during the Homowo went ahead and sprinkled Kpoikpoi even though they were much aware of the injunction, pretended they had not received any writ or injunction order from the High Court.

It also stated that the defendants have been holding themselves as kingmakers.
And it was in the light of these that the Plaintiffs are praying the court to restrain the defendants from holding themselves as such and Adama Latse from holding himself as Ga Mantse.

During the Homowo, the writ noted that the individuals, especially Adama Latse, boldly addressed the people of Ga Mashie, saying that even if he had been served with the injunction, he would flout the laws to see if really the laws enacted by act were working effectively.

“The conduct and behaviour of the respondents is an exhibition of gross, unimaginable and unmitigated disrespect for the process of the Honourable Court and without a doubt contemptuous of the Court,” the writ read in part.

The plaintiffs are also praying the court to impose a custodial sentence as the only appropriate punishment for their contemptuous conduct.

Meanwhile information gathered by this paper alleged that the contempt suit to be served on the six took a bizarre twist when the bailiffs arrived at the Ga Mashie at Korkoto We, where they met Nii Ayi Bonte and four others at a ceremony.

According to reliable sources, upon seeing the bailiffs Nii Ayi Bonte and the four others in their traditional clothes and regalia took to their heels but in the process Nii Ayi Bonte allegedly fell down.

According to witnesses, some children around the scene had to come to his aid and help him up as he shed tears in pain.

A source close to the plaintiffs told Today that the bailiffs were able to serve the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Hon. Afotey Agbo, in his office at 1:00GMT on Tuesday, August 25, 2015.

The source said the minister earlier declined the service but upon a second thought accepted it from the bailiffs.

In the case of Adama Latse the bailiffs were unable to serve the writ on Adama Latse, the source added, revealing that his Tunga residence at Dansoman has been put under lock and key.

It would be recalled that Today in its August 17, edition hinted of a move to cite certain personalities in the Ga Mashie chieftaincy dispute for contempt two days after the Homowo celebrations.

The lead plaintiff, Nii Tetteh Akwei II, and others are challenging the legitimacy of Nii Adama Latse as the Ga Mantse at the National House of Chiefs.

The dispute over the Ga Mashie paramountcy has protracted, and it came to a head in early August this year when the Nii Tetteh Akwei faction installed a rival chief in the person of Kelvin Nii Tackie Abia Tackie under the stool name Nii TackieTeiko Tsuru III.