Nungua Chieftaincy DisputeAdote Obuor, Odaifio convicted

An Accra High Court yesterday convicted Nii Adote Obuor IV, Acting President of the Ga Traditional Council for contempt of court in the raging Nungua chieftaincy dispute. Additionally, the Ga Traditional Council and Nii Odehe Kpakpa King Odaifio Welentse III, a rival chief of Nungua, had equally been convicted for disobeying the orders of the court.

The Traditional Council and its acting President are sentenced to a joint fine of GH¢3000.00 and a joint cost of GH¢2,500.00 - while Nii Odehe Kpakpa King Odaifio Welentse III is sentenced to a fine of GH¢2,500.00 and a cost of GH¢2,500.00.

The court, presided over by Justice James Benuyenah Benson furthermore granted bail to Nii Adote Obuor IV and Nii Odehe Kpakpa King Odaifio Welentse III with one surety each.

The court directed that the fines and cost imposed on the convicts should be paid by the close of work today, failing which the convicts will go to prison for six months in hard labour.

In passing the sentence, the court noted that it was going to deal with the convicted persons leniently, indicating that sight must not be lost of the fact that as Traditional rulers, they have a role to play in obeying and enforcing the laws of the country in order to bring peace and order.

According to the court, if traditional rulers are disobeying and showing blatant disrespect for the laws of the country, then it does not need the importance of their office.

The order came on the heels of an application filed by Nii Odai Ayiku IV, Chief of Nugua, that his rival chief, Nii Odehe Kpakpa King Odaifio Welentse III is continuously being maintained in the register of the Ga Traditional Council as the Nungua Mantse, despite a court order for his name to be removed and replaced with the former.

The court had restrained Nii Odehe Kpakpa King Odaifio Welentse III from sitting as a member of the Ga Traditional Council and further prohibited the council from allowing him to sit as a member, after it quashed the induction of the former by way of certiorari filed by Nii Odai Ayiku IV.

It was this restraining order that had been disobeyed that the convicted persons together with other council members were cited for contempt.

The court, however, acquitted and discharged the other council members namely; Nii Kojo Ababio V, Nii Adjetey Kraku III and Nii Dodoo Nsaki II on the grounds that the charge of contempt had not been found by the applicant.

The other members acquitted and discharged by the court are Nii Ayikai III, Nii Kpobi Tettey Tsuru III, Nii Nortey Owuo III and Numo Tette II, who died in the course of trial.