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