- Akwatia MP Ernest Kumi convicted of contempt
- Court issues bench warrant for his arrest
- Kumi defied injunction by taking oath of office
Ernest Yaw Kumi, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Akwatia, has been convicted for contempt of court by the High Court in Koforidua, Eastern Region. The conviction stems from his defiance of an interim injunction that had barred him from being sworn in as a legislator.
Justice Senyo Amedahe, the presiding judge, also issued a bench warrant for Kumi’s arrest after he failed to appear in court for sentencing. The court had previously issued a restraining order preventing Kumi from taking the oath of office, pending the resolution of a legal dispute. Despite this directive, Kumi went ahead and took the oath in Parliament.
The court, citing overwhelming evidence of willful defiance, ruled that the MP’s actions amounted to contempt of court. Attempts by the Minority Caucus in Parliament to justify Kumi’s absence from the hearing through an official letter were dismissed by the judge. Justice Amedahe maintained that Kumi had knowingly disregarded the court’s authority.
With the bench warrant now in effect, authorities are expected to carry out Kumi’s arrest and ensure that the court’s ruling is enforced.
