General News of Tuesday, 18 August 2009

Source: GNA

Court to rule on contempt case against BNI officials

Accra, Aug. 18, GNA - A Human Rights Court (Fast Track High Court Division) on Tuesday ordered investigations to ascertain whether or not the Director of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and two of its officials cited for contempt had been personally served with court processes.

This came up after the court found two different dates on court documents with two different bailiffs serving court processes on the BNI Director, Mr Yaw Donkor and Mr Yaw Abrokwa and Ms Josephine Gandayiri. The three officials have been cited for contempt following an application filed by Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, former Information Minister and his wife, Jennifer Zuleika Lawria. The couple on two occasions were prevented from travelling outside the country by BNI operatives.

Mr and Mrs Asamoah, in their bid to travel outside the country, the second time, were prevented not withstanding an injunction restraining the BNI from preventing them from doing so. The three officials were therefore cited for contempt. At Tuesday's sitting, Mr Eli Agbemava, a State Attorney, said the three officials had not been personally served and questioned who the bailiff served at the Offices of the BNI.

Mr Agbemava said a second attempt should be made to serve the BNI officials so they could appear in court. The two bailiffs, Mr Daniel Nii Darko and Mr Fred Asiedu appeared before the court to explain how they served the officials of the BNI. Mr Darko told the court that the processes of the court were printed in excess, so after he had served the officials, his colleague went to serve them again.

While he (Mr Darko) served a secretary at the BNI offices, Mr Asiedu served a man called Felix at the same office. Nene Amagatcher told the court that the BNI officials had been served and they would like to move the motion for contempt. The court, however, adjourned the matter to Monday August 24.