Afoko contempt case: IGP, CID Boss snub court again

An Accra High Court presided over by Justice Jennifer Dodoo has deferred her ruling for a third time in the contempt application instituted against the Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante Apeatu (now former IGP) and Director General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah.

The contempt case was instituted by lawyers of Gregory Afoko, over his continuous stay in prison despite the fact that he has been granted bail by the High Court.

The Court was expected to deliver its ruling Monday, 22nd July, 2019.

However, the Court did not do same because it insist that the IGP and the CID Boss must be present in Court in person before it will deliver its ruling.

Justice Jennifer Dodoo’s Court on Monday heard the case in her chambers instead of “in open Court”.

Checks by Journalists after the “in Chamber hearing” indicated that the High Court Judge was not happy about the continuous absence of the two Police Chiefs who have been cited for contempt.

She adjourned sitting to the October 10, 2019, for her ruling to be delivered.



Background

The contempt case against the Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante Apeatu and Director General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, was filed by lawyers of Gregory Afoko several weeks after he remained in custody after being granted bail.

The summoning of the two by the court followed the disregard of a court order in March 2019 granting bail to Mr. Afoko.

Mr. Afoko was admitted to bail in the sum of GHC500, 000 with two sureties in March 2019.

Afoko’s trial started in 2016 and was nearing completion after the prosecution and the defence counsel closed their cases. But on January 28, 2019, the Attorney General filed a nolle prosequi to discontinue the trial following the arrest of another suspect, Asabke Alangdi, who had been on the run.

Afoko and Alangdi were then put before the Accra Central District Court on provisional charges of conspiracy to commit murder and murder.

Mr. Afoko challenged the discontinuation of the first case but the Supreme Court ruled that the Attorney General did nothing wrong.

Source:Starrfm.com.gh