Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Madina Constituency of the Greater Accra Region, Honourable Amadu Bukari Sorogho, has been sentenced to pay a fine of GH¢ 30,000 for contempt.
The former legislator was fined to pay GH¢ 30,000 by July 31, 2024 and in default, will serve a one week prison sentence.
This follows Honourable Sorogho’s disobedience of an interlocutory injunction order granted by the Accra High Court in suit No: GJ/0340/22, for flauting a court order restraining the former MP from building illegally on the land situated at Madina Estate, opposite the Magistrate Court.
This was involved in the case between the plaintiffs—Mr Musa Suleiman Rami and Mr Umar Suleman verses the 1st defendant, Amadu Sorogho, 2nd defendant: state housing company and 3rd defendant : La Nkwantanang Madina Municipal Assembly.
The presiding judge, His Lordship Justice Richard Apietu has found the former MP guilty of contempt of court but his lawyer, Mr Jah Josiah pleaded with that court that Honourable Sorogho should be given a minimal sentence because he [Amadu Sorogho] has serious health issues.
Lawyer Jah Josiah told the Court that the former MP should not be given a custodial sentence. That the court should give him a stern warning for him to stop building until the final determination of the case in the law court.
Mr Jah Josiah told the Court that being the lawyer for Honourable Sorogho, he would make sure that he advises him not to engage any unlawful activity on the land because his client was a former legislator and law abiding citizen.
However, Mr. Charles Habiah, lawyer for the plaintiffs—Mr Musa Suleiman Rami and Mr Umar Suleman stated that Honourable Sorogho used his position as the former MP to deliberately disobey court orders and went ahead to order his workers to continue to put up the structure which the court had restrained him from developing.
In the this regard, the lawyer for the plaintiffs told the court to give Honourable Sorogho a custodial sentence. The judge in his ruling, sentenced Honourable Sorogho to pay a fine of GH¢ 30,000 by July 31 for contempt and in default, he will serve a one week prison sentence.
Brief Background of the matter
Honourable Sorogho is erecting an illegal building on land situated at Madina Estate, opposite the Magistrate Court and that the plaintiffs—Mr Musa Suleiman Rami and Mr Umar Suleman had took him to an Accra High Court complex General Jurisdiction 11, with suit Number GJ/0340/22.
The plaintiffs took him to court and prayed the court to stop Honourable Sorogho from constructing the building because he was encroaching on a common space and also violating State Housing rules and regulations which was enshrined in the offer of sale letter given to occupants of the house.
Following this development, the court referred the case to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and asked all parties involving in the case to stop work on the said land Honourable Sorogho disobeyed the court order and went to continue to build on the land, hence the judge has slapped him with a fine of Gh¢30, 000.00 to pay.
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