Queenmother saved

The Queenmother of the Badu Traditional Area in the Brong Ahafo Region, Nana Yaa Konadu, who was being tried for contempt, has been saved from serving a prison term because she is pregnant.

Mr Justice P. K. Gyaesayor, sitting at the Sunyani High Court, told the queenmother that she was lucky she was pregnant, or else the court would have sent her to jail for showing gross disrespect for a ruling by a Sunyani Community Tribunal. The court fined her ¢1 million.

Nana Konadu was in the dock with the Benkumhene of the area, Nana Kwame Komfode IV, who was also fined ¢1 million.

The two persons would go to jail for six months each if they fail to pay the fine.

The court further bonded them in the sum of ¢2 million each to observe the peace of the Badu Traditional Area or go to jail for six months.

It also ordered that an amount of ¢307,000 which the queenmother illegally collected from tenant farmers should be returned to the Omanhene.

In August this year, the same court convicted the two traditional rulers for contempt but adjourned to a later date for sentence.

Nana Boakye Yiadom II, the Omanhene of the area, brought the application of contempt against the two persons following a chieftaincy dispute in the Badu area.

The two persons were found liable for flouting the orders of a Sunyani Community Tribunal to observe the peace of the area until the Badu chieftaincy dispute was resolved.

The dispute has been characterised by some violent acts, including an attempt by some people to seize the Omanhene’s car at Sunyani.

Early this year, the police brought the queenmother and others, including the Benkumhene before the tribunal to show why they should not be bonded to keep the peace.

The tribunal consequently bonded the queenmother and the Benkumhene to observe the peace in the sum of ¢2 million with one surety each to be justified or go to prison for six months each in hard labour.

The Omanhene later filed an application of contempt at the High Court that inspite of the tribunal’s order, the two persons went ahead to collect tributes from tenant farmers, which was a breach of the tribunal’s order because it could have resulted in violence.

While passing sentence on Tuesday, Mr Justice Gyaesayor said that Nana Boakye Yiadom is still the Omanhene of Badu and if anybody has any destoolment charges against him, the appropriate place to fight his or her case is the Regional House of Chiefs and not through violence.