News
13 family members behind bars, fined GH¢650,000 for contempt
Thirteen members of a family in the Ashanti Region have been put behind bars after the Asante Mampong High Court fined each of them GH¢50,000 for contempt.
They were alleged to have defied a court injunction and gone ahead to conduct an Islamic marriage ceremony involving a woman who was still legally married to another man.
The ruling, delivered by Justice William Boampong after a two-year legal battle, brought to a dramatic end a domestic dispute that traversed both the traditional court of the Asantehemaa at Manhyia and the High Court, culminating in their imprisonment.
At the time of filing this report on Monday, the 13 family members were still behind bars for their inability to pay the fine.
At the centre of the storm is Hajia Alima Issah, the fourth wife of Alhaji Abass — a businessman widely known in the region as “Alhaji Abass Transport.” The couple share five children.
According to court records, Hajia Issah left the matrimonial home to visit her parents, and approximately one month later, her family facilitated her marriage to another man, notwithstanding her existing union with Alhaji Abass.
The family was served with a High Court injunction but the Court records showed that they proceeded with the ceremony and found them guilty of wilfully disobeying its lawful order.
Upon learning of the development, Alhaji Abass first took the matter to the traditional court of the Asantehemaa, which reportedly issued an injunction restraining Hajia Issah’s family from facilitating any new marriage.
Alhaji Abass then filed an application at the Asante Mampong High Court, which granted an injunction against the proposed marriage, a move that was served on the family members by officials of the court.
That notwithstanding, the family allegedly proceeded to supervise and conduct the Islamic marriage ceremony between Hajia Issah and her new husband.
The court subsequently cited 13 family members for contempt of court, accusing them of wilfully disobeying its lawful order.
Justice Boampong, delivering judgment on the matter, found all 13 respondents guilty and imposed a fine of GH¢50,000 on each. Those who failed to pay the fine faced a 30-day custodial sentence, to be served ahead of the hearing of the substantive case.
Three of the cited respondents did not appear before the court for the ruling, forcing Justice Boampong to issue a bench warrants for their arrest.
The 13 convicted family members were taken into custody following the ruling and remained behind bars at the time of filing the report, as relatives and associates reportedly moved around to raise the funds required to secure their release.
With each fine set at GH¢50,000, the aggregate sum owed by the group amounts to GH¢650,000.The substantive case, which concerns the validity of the competing marriages and the rights of the parties involved, is yet to be heard.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
A woman who is accused of bolting with ‘susu’ money totaling GH₵156,445 has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
Martha Nana Esi Afful was alleged to have collected the money from 35 complainants.
Charged with 35 counts of fraudulent breach of trust, Martha, who was earlier remanded, pleaded not guilty.
The court, presided over by Mr Joseph Y. Kuunsong on Wednesday, admitted the accused person to a GH₵200,000 bail with two sureties.
One of the sureties, the court said, must be a public servant earning not less than GH₵5,000.
She is expected to reappear on August 12, 2026.
The Prosecution’s case before the court is that the complainants are traders and residents at La in Accra.
Prosecution described Martha as a ‘Susu’ collector, who resided at Burma Camp.
The court heard that the accused person run a business with the name ‘ZOE’ and she deceived the 35 complainants into believing that she collected ‘Susu’ daily, which was kept for a period of one-three years, and paid interest on the money invested.
The complainants contributed in 2023 for a three-year period, prosecution said.
In December 2025, when the complainants went to take their money with interest, Martha went into hiding and only took phone calls from a few complainants.
Prosecution said the accused provided a MTN Momo number through which a few of the complainants still paid monies.
It said all efforts made to collect the money, totaling GH₵156,445 from her, proved futile.
On June 14, 2026, a report was made to the police and Martha was picked up at a washing bay at Tse Addo.
During interrogation, she admitted the offence in her caution statement, saying she lost her husband and relocated to Swedru in the Central Region, hence the complainants were unable to reach her from December 2025 till date.
Prosecution said Martha further stated that she had invested the monies into refuse collection business and she needed time to pay the amount.
Police are investigating the claims. –GNA
A Public Health Nurse at the Roman Ridge Sub-Municipal of the Ayawaso West Health Directorate, Ms Patience Adoli Kporxah, has cautioned the public against coming into contact with floodwaters, warning that exposure can lead to serious diseases, infections and injuries.
Floodwater, she said, should always be treated as contaminated, regardless of how clean it appears, because it may contain sewage, human and animal waste, chemicals, fuel, sharp objects and disease-causing micro-organisms.
In an interview with The Spectator in Accra on Thursday, Ms Kporxah explained that contact with contaminated floodwater exposes people to bacteria, viruses, parasites, hazardous chemicals and other physical hazards that can result in illness or injury.
Her advice came in the wake of recent exposure to floodwater following Monday’s torrential rains that left vast areas of the capital flooded.
As a result, a lot of people were seen either ‘swimming’ in the floodwater to rescue people or retrieving items being washed away.
According to her, exposure to floodwater could cause skin infections, particularly where there are cuts or open wounds, as well as diarrhoea diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery and other forms of gastroenteritis if contaminated water was swallowed.
Other health risks, she said include hepatitis A, eye and ear infections, tetanus in people with untreated wounds or incomplete vaccination, and injuries from submerged sharp objects, debris or electrical hazards.
Ms Kporxah advised anyone who had contact with floodwater to monitor their health closely and seek immediate medical attention if they develop symptoms such as fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, severe headache, muscle aches, skin rash, difficulty breathing, or yellowing of the eyes or skin.
She also urged people whose wounds became red, swollen, painful or begin to discharge pus, as well as those who accidentally swallow floodwater, to report to the nearest health facility without delay.
Although not everyone exposed to floodwater requires immediate treatment, she stressed that pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, individuals living with chronic illnesses and those with significant wounds should seek prompt medical evaluation.
On water safety, Ms Kporxah cautioned that rainwater was not automatically safe for drinking or cooking, especially during or after flooding. She explained that rainwater collected from roofs, gutters or open containers could be contaminated by bird and animal droppings, dust, leaves, bacteria, viruses, parasites and chemical pollutants.
She advised that rainwater intended for drinking should first be treated by boiling, chlorination or another approved water purification method before use.
Touching on food safety, Ms Kporxah said factory-sealed bottled drinks and canned foods with intact packaging might still be safe after flooding.
However, she stressed that any containers submerged in floodwater should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before handling. Foods in paper packaging, damaged containers or products with broken seals should be discarded because contaminated water may have seeped into them.
She further warned that flooding increases the risk of outbreaks of cholera, typhoid fever and other waterborne diseases through contaminated water sources.
In addition, she said flooding could contribute to respiratory illnesses in overcrowded shelters and mould-infested buildings, foodborne illnesses from spoiled or contaminated food, and mental health conditions such as anxiety, stress, depression and trauma.
It could also disrupt access to medicines and healthcare for people living with chronic conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, asthma and kidney disease.
Ms Kporxah therefore urged the public to practice good hygiene, avoid unnecessary contact with floodwater, consume only safe food and drinking water, and seek medical attention promptly whenever symptoms develop.
She said observing these preventive measures would help minimise the risk of disease outbreaks and protect lives as the country continues to experience heavy rains and flooding in some communities.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
