Okyenhene cited for contempt of court

Koforidua (Eastern Region) - A Koforidua High Court on Wednesday adjourned to 22 July, this year, a case in which the Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin and two others have been cited for contempt of court following a case filed against them by Barima Adanse-Akyem Omane, over his destoolment as Nkwantananhene.

The other defendants Fred Yaw Asante, a Member of the Council of State and Barima Kyeretwie Boakye Dankwa were present in court while the Okyenhene was reported indisposed.

Justice Samuel Marful-Sau, the presiding judge, after listening to preliminary submissions by both counsel for the plaintiff and defence, said he was adjourning the case to give them the two parties the opportunity to go and resolve the issue and report back to the court on the scheduled date.

The contempt case was among three motions filed by Barima Omane while the other two were a motion of prohibition against a lower body, the Kyebi Executive Council (KEC) from hearing a case, which should be heard by the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs on appeal.

The next was a motion for certiorari seeking to quash a decision taken by the Okyeman Council to withdraw recognition of the Plaintiff as the Nkwantananhene.

Daniel Yao Osei, a Koforidua lawyer, represented Barima Omane, while the defence team led by Nutifafa Kuenyehia, included Professor Nii Ashie Kotei, Baafour Asante Bediatuo and Nana Addo Aikins. In May, this year, the Okyeman Council ratified a resolution that Barima Omane was no longer recognised as the Nkwantananhene.

The Council also invoked the "wiemtuo" ban on his line in the Nkwantanan royal family based on a petition written by one Opanin E.K. Frempong, a royal of Nkwantanan and others claiming to be concerned citizens of the town, said to contain "unprintable allegations, insults and remarks against the occupant of the very revered Ofori Panin Stool, the Okyenhene."