Nkoranza Chief Okatakyie Agyemang Kodom IV faces contempt

Nana Amponsah Gyan and Okatakyie Agyemang Kodom

The paramount Chief of Nkoranza Traditional Area in the Brong Ahafo Region, Okatakyie Agyemang Kodom IV, and 13 others have been dragged to a Sunyani High Court over a contempt of court case brought against them.

The 13 others embroiled in the contempt suit which is expected to be held on Friday, October 25, 2013 are Charles Kwakye Siaw, Nana Atta Mensah, Nana Abena Baagyei, Nana Yaw Fosu, Nana Fosu Awiti and Nana Adubofour Gyan. The rest are; Takyi Stephen, Yaw Kodom, Nana Boahen Gyan, Madam Adwoa Sikayena, Kwaku Fokuo, Kwasi Sesu and Kwasi Owusu, all of Jema.

Nana Amponsah Gyan II, the Chief of Jema and also the Kyidomhene of the Nkoranza Traditional Area who is purported to have been destooled by Nkoranzahene, the first respondent with the aid of the 13 others, is the applicant in the case.

The Nkoranzahene is said to have exhibited a conduct which the applicant believes in its natural and ordinary meaning tended to pre-empt the outcome of two chieftaincy petitions pending before the Judicial Committee of both the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs and the Nkoranza Traditional Council respectively.

Okatakyie Agyemang Kodom reportedly ordered the removal of the Jema chief without recourse to proper judicial procedures while the matter was pending before the court.

A motion on notice by Nana Obiri Boahen, counsel for and on behalf of the applicant, Nana Amponsah Gyan, is praying the court to attach the respondents including the Omanhene for contempt over their conduct.

The applicant averred that the respondents, in a concerted effort, and notwithstanding the pendency of the two petitions have or purported to have enstooled the 10th respondent, Nana Boahen Gyan, ex-Krontihene of Jema as Kyidomhene of Nkoranza Traditional Council with the full backing and support of the other respondents.

The former President of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs was said to have provided a sheep to be slaughtered in his palace in Nkoranza to signify the formal destoolment of the Jema chief on October 8, 2013, a conduct the applicant believed is not only abominable but unacceptable; traditionally sacrilegious, and a taboo.

The fact of the matter is that the third, fourth, fifth and sixth respondents, namely Nana Atta Mensah, Jema Akyeamehene; Nana Abena Baagyei, Jemahemaa; Nana Yaw Fosu, Ntoa Bosomfour of Jema and Nana Fosu Awiti, Jema Gyasehene respectively since 2009 had been challenging the enstoolment of the applicant in the court.

They claimed that the enstoolment of Nana Amponsah Gyan when the Jema Stool became vacant in 2007 was contrary to custom of the traditional area.

However, after going through the usual legal exercises at the Judicial Committee of the Nkoranza Traditional Council, the matter ended in favour of the applicant.

Not happy with the outcome of the ruling, the third-fifth respondents later filed an appeal against the decision at the Judicial Committee of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs which was also eventually struck out for want of prosecution.

The second respondent, Charles Kwakye Siaw, a native of Jema, had also since 2009 engaged the applicant with spate of legal suits, where one of the suits/petitions ended at the Court of Appeal which was also struck out.

The second respondent had once again initiated a chieftaincy petition against the applicant before the Judicial Committee of the Nkoranza Traditional Council, a matter currently pending before the council.

The third to sixth respondents had also revisited their chieftaincy petition against the applicant at the Regional House of Chiefs which is also pending before the Judicial Committee.

Notwithstanding the pendency of the two chieftaincy petitions, the Nkoranzahene ordered the destoolment of the applicant and enstooled the 10th respondent, Nana Boahen Gyan as new chief of the area.

“The net effect of the respondents’ conduct is that, they have, by their conduct rendered the two chieftaincy petitions currently pending before the Regional House of Chiefs and the Judicial Committee, Nkoranza Traditional Council as moot, unnecessary and irrelevant.

“Indeed, the conduct of the respondents is willfully and maliciously calculated to impugn the integrity of the judicial system. A conduct intentionally made to scandalize the administration of justice and further to expose the judicial system to public ridicule and contempt,” the applicant stated.

Source Daily Guide Ghana News

Nkoranza Chief Okatakyie Agyemang Kodom IV faces contempt