3 Police personnel cited for contempt

Three police personnel of the Property Fraud Unit of the Ghana Police Service have been sued for contempt in a land litigation case.

The suit accuses the police personnel of supporting some Chinese nationals to flout an injunction placed on parcels of land at Cantonment, near AU Village by an Accra High Court.

Four plots of land labelled M1, M2, M3 and M4 are in dispute at Cantonment, near AU Village.

Substantive case

DHM Constructions Limited and another had earlier sued the applicant and two others seeking declaration of title to four parcels of land located at Cantonment.

The court granted the injunction application in respect of two of the plots, but dismissed same in respect of the two other plots.

In effect, the court granted plots M3 and M4 to DHM Constructions Limited which means the applicant is entitled to plots M1 and M2.

The applicant for contempt argued that the three police personnel under the guise of promoting public peace had prevented him from getting access to the land and also had his workers arrested in spite of the court ruling.

Indeed, prior to the said court proceedings, under the disguise of maintaining public peace  armed police personnel were stationed on plots M1 and M2 to prevent him from accessing his land while permitting DHM Constructions Limited to construct buildings on M3 and M4,” the applicant said.

Contempt

It is the case of the applicant for contempt that he served the ruling on the three police officers through the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

The applicant said despite the service of the injunction on the police, personnel of the service proceeded to arrest workers of the applicant on Plots M1 and M2 on several occasions.

According to the filings, in most of these instances, applicant’s lawyers were compelled to go to the Property Fraud Unit of the Ghana Police Service for the workers arrested to be released on Bail.

In view if the arrests, the applicant’s lawyers again submitted copies of the injunction ruling to the Property Fraud Unit of the Ghana Police Service.

The applicant alleged that he was reliable informed that the police are assisting the plaintiff in the substantive case to build on the other plots of land which the court had restrained the parties from entering pending the determination of the suit.

It is the contention that the actions of the three police personnel had virtually overruled the orders of the court which is “clearly disrespectful and contemptuous of the High Court.”

“That I have been advised and believe same to be true that the Respondents’ actions are orchestrated to obstruct or interfere with the orderly administration of justice, to impair the dignity of the court and respect for its authority.

“That in the circumstance, I pray that this blatant disregard for the orders of the court is contemptuous and the Respondents in their position as police officers ought to be convicted,” the application for contempt stated.