Four chiefs and a queen mother of the Kwatwoma Traditional area, Jaman South Municipality of the Bono Region, have been cited for contempt of court over the gazetting of Mr Kwaku Bosea Yeboah as the Paramount Chief of the area.
In a motion filed by Nana Obiri Boahen of the ‘Enso Nyame Ye Chambers,’ a Sunyani-based legal firm and Counsel, the applicants are praying a Kumasi High Court to commit the respondents, including Mr. Yeboah to prison.
The other respondents are Nana Amankwah, the Benkumhene (left-wing chief) of the traditional area, Nana Tafowaa, the queen mother of the Asiedu Royal Family, Nana Kwabena Kom, ‘Ekonahene’ (war chief) of the traditional area and Nana Kwasi Boahen, the ‘Abakomahene’ of the traditional area.
The writ is praying the Court to commit for wilful /deliberate and conscious attempt to scandalise and expose the administration of justice to public ridicule and contempt, a conduct that is wilfully calculated to undermine the integrity of justice.
It said, “gazetting Mr. Yeboah, notwithstanding the pendency of a substantive suit and motion on notice for interlocutory injunction is a conduct contemptuous of the court and a total disregard for the administration of justice.”
According to the plaintiffs, the respondents intentionally and maliciously undermined the administration of justice by treating with contempt court processes, more especially “motion on notice for interlocutory” filed on Thursday, June 16, 2022, which was still pending in respect of the chieftaincy petition before a judicial committee.
The petitioners include Nana Boahen Korkor, the Chief of Adamsu and ‘Kurontirehene’ of the Kwatwoma Traditional Area, Nana Osei Yaw, the Adehyepanin (royal elder) of Atomase royal family and Nana Kupor, the head of Atomase royal family.
“Holding out or recognising Mr. Yeboah as the Paramount Chief of Kwatwoma traditional area, knowing fully well that, a chieftaincy petition has been mounted, contesting the occupation of the Kwatwoma paramount stool and also an application for injunction had been applied for and same waiting determination, thereby rendering the entire application and a larger extent that the entire action/suit is now moot, is a conduct which is repugnant, contemptuous, disrespectful and disobedient,” it added.
The writ indicated that the respondents must be committed for promoting, facilitating, assisting and urging Mr. Yeboah to carry on and represent himself as the paramount chief of the Kwatwoma Traditional Area, notwithstanding the pendency of an interlocutory injunction and the substantive chieftaincy petition.
Meanwhile, the respondents appeared before the Kumasi High Court Six, presided by Justice Mary Quansah, where the case was adjourned till Thursday, June 29, 2023.