The Supreme Court has overturned a contempt conviction issued by the High Court in Koforidua against Ernest Kumi, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Akwatia. The apex court also barred Justice Emmanuel Senyo Amedahe from proceeding with sentencing the MP.
This ruling follows a successful judicial review application filed by Mr. Kumi, who challenged the High Court’s jurisdiction in the matter.
Mr. Kumi’s legal team, led by Gary Nimako-Marfo—who also serves as the NPP’s Director of Legal Affairs—argued that the election petition which triggered the injunction and subsequent contempt proceedings was procedurally flawed.
According to Nimako-Marfo, under Ghana’s electoral laws, election petitions must be filed within 21 days of the publication of certified election results in the official gazette. He noted that while the petition was filed on December 31, 2024, the official gazette publication only occurred on June 6, 2025—well outside the required timeframe.
As a result, he contended that the High Court’s jurisdiction had been improperly invoked, rendering all related rulings—including the contempt conviction—null and void. He also criticized the High Court for convicting Mr. Kumi without granting him a fair hearing, describing the move as a violation of natural justice.
Counsel for the opposition NDC parliamentary candidate, Henry Boakye Yiadom, however, defended the High Court’s actions. He maintained that both the injunction and the contempt ruling were legally sound and fell within the court’s authority.
