Transport Minister Accuses Editor “The Law Platform” of Contempt Over False Land Court Claims
Transport Minister Files Contempt of Court Application Against Editor of “The Law Platform
In a significant legal confrontation, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the Minister for Transport, has filed a contempt of court application against Jonathan Owusu Asare, the editor of thelawplatform.online and a lawyer in private practice.
This legal action comes in response to claims made by Asare in a recent publication regarding a decision by the Land Court (High Court 8) on June 12, 2024.
The article in question alleged that Asiamah and his wife, Wihemina Asiamah, had used state security to protect their landed property.
The controversial publication, dated June 12, 2024, on thelawplatform.online, stated that “The Land Division 8 of the High Court on the 12th day of June, 2024 has injuncted the Transport Minister, Hon Kwaku Ofori Asiamah and his wife Wihemina Asiamah from developing a parcel of land situated at the prime Tse Addo residential area.”
The report further claimed that the Minister and his wife had police officers and a police vehicle stationed at the piece of land to deter adverse claimants from disturbing their development of the land, a detail the Transport Minister asserts was never pronounced by the court.
According to Minister Asiamah, the report by Jonathan Owusu Asare was not only inaccurate but also contemptuous.
He contends that the court did not explicitly state any of the claims made in the publication, particularly the assertion that police officers were stationed at the land to ward off adverse claimants.
Asiamah’s legal action seeks to hold Asare accountable for what he describes as false reporting that undermines the authority of the court.
In a related legal development, the Minister’s wife, Wihemina Asiamah, has also taken steps to challenge the High Court’s decision.
Her lawyers have filed an appeal against the June 12, 2024, decision by the Land Court, which granted an interlocutory injunction against her and her husband, preventing them from developing the land in question.
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Mrs. Asiamah’s legal team argues that the court erred in granting the injunction as she was not a party to the original suit.
The notice of appeal, filed by Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo on behalf of Mrs. Asiamah, seeks two primary reliefs: first, that the hearing of the application for the interlocutory injunction by the High Court on June 12, 2024, be declared null and void, and second, that the entire ruling granting the interlocutory injunction be set aside.
Mrs. Asiamah’s legal contention is that the trial court made several legal errors, including hearing and granting the application for interlocutory injunction against her when she was not a party to the ongoing suit and failing to address her pending application to set aside service of the injunction application.
Moreover, Mrs. Asiamah’s lawyers have filed a stay of execution of the interlocutory injunction and have petitioned the Chief Justice, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, over what they describe as the irregular manner in which the presiding High Court judge granted the injunction.
They argue that Mrs. Asiamah’s right to be heard was breached, constituting a violation of the principle of natural justice known as the audi alteram partem rule.
This legal saga underscores the contentious nature of land disputes in Ghana and the critical role of accurate legal reporting.
The Transport Minister’s move to file a contempt of court application against Jonathan Owusu Asare highlights the potential consequences of publishing unverified claims that could influence public perception and judicial proceedings.
As the case progresses, it will likely prompt broader discussions about media responsibility and the importance of safeguarding the integrity of the judicial process.
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