The Accra High Court has sentenced the publisher of The Herald, Larry Alans Dogbey, to seven days in prison for contempt of court.

The judge issued the sentence despite the journalist stating that he was not served with notice to cease publication.

The court said the punishment was not intended to “massage the ego of the presiding judge,” but was aimed at safeguarding the authority of the judiciary and ensuring compliance with court orders.

The ruling was delivered on Thursday, June 25, 2026, by Justice Isaac Addo of the Accra High Court in contempt proceedings arising from publications by The Herald relating to a petition filed by Petraco SA against Kevin Okyere, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Springfield Exploration and Production Limited (SEP).

The court found that Mr Dogbey had breached an interlocutory injunction that barred further publication on the dispute, holding that his actions amounted to wilful and deliberate disobedience of a lawful court order.

In its detailed reasoning, the court stressed that the sanction was institutional rather than personal, aimed at safeguarding judicial authority and ensuring respect for court orders.

“It is not meant to massage the ego of the Presiding Judge. Rather, it is an essential mechanism to preserve the dignity, integrity, and authority of the administration of justice,” the court stated, adding that journalists carry a heightened responsibility to uphold the rule of law.

The court further held that constitutional protections for press freedom under Chapter 12 of the 1992 Constitution do not extend to defying valid judicial directives.

“To vindicate the authority of this Court and to serve as a deterrent to others who may believe they are above the law, this Court cannot gloss over this wilful disobedience,” Justice Addo ruled before sentencing him to seven days’ imprisonment in prison custody.

The judge also raised concerns over what he described as sensational language and headlines used in The Herald’s publications, saying they were intended to undermine the reputation of the applicant in the case.

According to the court, references such as describing the matter as an “albatross,” along with what it termed inflammatory headlines, demonstrated an intention to prejudice public perception.

“The headlines and accompanying stories are inflammatory, and this Court will not be wrong to infer an intent on the part of the Respondent to tarnish the reputation of the Applicant,” the ruling stated, adding that the breach of the interlocutory injunction issued on June 11, 2025, was deliberate.

Despite Mr Dogbey’s argument that he was not served with notice to cease publication, the court ordered the immediate issuance of a warrant of committal to the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service for enforcement of the sentence.

Justice Addo maintained that the journalist acted in flagrant disregard of judicial authority, citing Article 126(2) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 50 of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2004 as the legal basis for the contempt ruling.

The court further stated that wilful and contumacious disobedience had been established, making the custodial sentence necessary to affirm the authority of the court.

Mr Dogbey earlier confirmed his conviction in a social media post, insisting that The Herald had merely reported on a petition filed by Petraco SA with state investigative agencies including the CID, EOCO, the Ghana Immigration Service and the Attorney-General’s Department. He maintained that “journalism is not a crime” and that Ghana “deserves better.”

Meanwhile, the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has expressed concern over the conviction and sentencing, saying it is seeking legal advice before determining its next course of action.

In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Dominic Hlordzi, the Association described the development as unfortunate and said it is closely monitoring the situation while its legal team reviews the court proceedings.