Court convicts Akwatia MP for contempt

A Koforidua High Court has convicted Ernest Yaw Kumi. He is the Member of Parliament for Akwatia Constituency in the Eastern Region. The conviction is for contempt of court. This follows his failure to comply with an interim injunction regarding his swearing-in.

The court has issued a bench warrant for his arrest. Mr. Kumi repeatedly failed to appear for the hearing. The conviction relates to an interim injunction from January 7, 2025. This injunction barred him from being sworn in as MP due to a legal challenge over his election.

Despite this, Mr. Kumi took the oath of office on January 6, 2025. Presiding Judge Justice Senyo Amedahe ruled that Mr. Kumi's absence during proceedings was unacceptable. The court dismissed a letter from the Minority Caucus in Parliament. They claimed he was busy with parliamentary duties and could not attend.

Justice Amedahe stated that accepting this letter would contradict his earlier ruling. This led to Mr. Kumi’s conviction for contempt of court.