The Supreme Court has overturned a contempt conviction handed down by the Koforidua High Court against Mr. Ernest Kumi, Member of Parliament (MP) for Akwatia.
In a 4-1 majority decision, the apex court also restrained the trial judge from sentencing the MP and nullified the bench warrant issued against him.
The five-member panel, presided over by Justice Gabriel Pwamang, indicated that the reasons for its ruling would be delivered on July 7, 2025.
Justice Pwamang dissented, while the majority decision was delivered by Justices Henry Kwofie, Professor Henrietta Mensah Bonsu, Ernest Gaewu and Adjei Frimpong.
Mr. Kumi had filed an application for certiorari and an order of prohibition at the Supreme Court, seeking to quash the February 2025 contempt conviction by the Koforidua High Court.
The High Court had earlier issued a bench warrant against him, despite an outstanding injunction application against his swearing-in as MP.
The MP, through his lawyers, argued that the High Court judge acted with bias and violated the rules of natural justice by proceeding to hear the contempt application while a motion to set it aside was pending.
He sought the Supreme Court’s intervention to nullify the High Court’s ruling and halt enforcement of the bench warrant.
