Court jails Anglican Dean and three others for contempt

Takoradi, July 21,-GNA- A Takoradi High Court on Friday sentenced the Very Reverend Augustine Welbourne, former Dean of the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew the Apostle Anglican Church at Sekondi and three others to a total of 12 months imprisonment for contempt of court. Additionally, they were fined a total of 34 million cedis or in default two years imprisonment each with two sureties to be justified. The rest are Emmanuel Papa Assan, Augustus Quaye and Dan Assafuah. The court, presided over by Mr. Justice David K. Ofosu Quartey, also issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Kofi Abbey-Hart who was absent. Rev. Welbourne was sentenced to three months in hard labour, fined 10 million cedis and to sign a bond to be of good behaviour for two years or in default another two years in jail.

The rest, Assan, Quaye and Assafuah were sentenced to three months imprisonment in hard labour, fined eight million cedis and to sign a bond to be of good behaviour for two years worth 100 million cedis each. Bishop John Otoo cited Rev. Welbourne for contempt. According to the facts, Bishop Otoo had dismissed Rev Welbourne from the Anglican Church and the Sekondi Diocese, revoked his ministerial license but the convict had failed to vacate the Cathedral premises, refused to hand over and continually held mass there for some parishioners.

Assan, Quaye and Assafuah had also cited Bishop Otoo, Lord Pearce, Joseph Abakah, Justice Kwesi Etrue Amua-Sekyi, Bishop (Rtd) Andrew Faakye Okoh, Bishop Mattias Badohu of HO, Rev. Emmanuel Nii Laryea, Venerable Kingsley Addai for contempt at the same court. According to the statement of the three, Bishop Otoo and his group breached a settlement arrangement agreed upon on June 6 by both parties this year.

They said the entrance of Bishop Otoo into the Cathedral on that fateful Sunday, June 18, and interruption of the ongoing church service was a breach of the agreement.

In passing his judgement, Justice Quartey said the "rebels" had already broken away from the Anglican Church in Ghana and worldwide in a letter dated January 24 this year and the court did not understand why they continued to hold services in the Cathedral.

"The Bishop was humble enough to sit down with you and negotiate, yet nothing good came out of it" Justice Quartey added. He said the continual use of the Cathedral meant a total disregard of the settlement deal.

"We must put the Bishop in the proper place since he is the authority of the church, adding that by Law 23 A of the Anglican Church, the Bishop shall have the place of eminence at the Cathedral and the Cathedral shall be subject to the direct visitation of the Bishop. Justice Quartey therefore invoked Order 15 rule two to indict the three to face contempt charges.

He said Bishop Otoo was the rightful Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Sekondi and restrained the group perpetually from interfering with any aspects of the cathedrals worship and assets. Justice Quartey also ordered that proper accounts should be rendered retrospectively from 2003 to this year and before September 1. He also asked Rev. Welbourne to hand over all church properties in his care to the Bishop.

They pleaded with the court to be lenient with them but Justice Quartey said the four had not shown any sign of remorse. Counsel for the four Mr. Bodza Lumor pleaded with the court to be lenient but his appeal was all rejected. Ekow K. Amua-Sekyi represented Bishop Otoo and the eight others. 21 July 06