The Accra Human Rights High Court today delivered its judgment in the Contempt case brought by Ashanti Gold SC against the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and its 12 Executive Council members, the General Secretary and non-Executive Council member, Sheikh Tophic Abdul-Kadir Sienu.
The High Court has found and convicted Prosper Harrison Addo, general secretary of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), of contempt. He will spend two days in jail and pay a fine of 2,000 penalty units, which is almost ₵24,000.
In Ghanaian criminal law, one penalty unit costs twelve Ghanaian cedis (GH₵12). If he doesn’t pay up, Justice Nicholas Mensah Abodakpi of the Accra High Court’s Human Rights Division will put him in jail for another 30 days.
In addition, Addo must pay a $1,000 fine, which is about ₵12,000 in Ghanaian currency. As a result of his failure, the judge will sentence him to prison for 14 days.
Sheikh Tophic Sienu, one of the 14 people brought before the court, was not a member of the Executive Council, yet he was still found guilty and sentenced to one day in jail.
Each of them will have to spend one day in jail and pay a total fine of GH36,000 as a result of their convictions. A total of 44 days in jail awaits them if they don’t pay up.
A fine of two thousand (2,000) penalty units and one day in jail have been issued to the thirteenth respondent, who must serve thirty (30) days in jail if he does not pay up.
The Justice Sentence says, “The 14th Respondent is sentenced to one day in jail and one thousand (1,000) penalty units. If he doesn’t pay, he will serve fourteen (14) days in jail.”
Meanwhile, General Assembly President Kurt Okraku and the other defendants, Mark Addo, Dr Tony Aubynn, Oduro Sarfo, Dr Randy Abbey, Kingsley Osei Bonsu, Linford Asamoah, Sammy Anim Addo, George Amoako, Frederick Acheampong, Habiba Atta, and Salifu Shaibu Zida, were exonerated.
They were, however released from custody.
