Court orders chief to sign bond for good behaviour in Dansoman land contempt case

The High Court in Accra has ordered Nii Adote Otintor II, Sempe Mantse, to sign a 12-month bond to be of good behaviour after finding him in contempt of court in a protracted land dispute with Nii Kojo Danso II, Chief of Dansoman.

The ruling, delivered on March 25, 2026, by Justice Kenneth Edem Kudjordjie, follows contempt proceedings initiated by Nii Kojo Danso II over alleged defiance of a prior court judgment concerning approximately 14 acres of land at Dansoman.

The contempt application, filed on February 9, 2026, invoked the court’s powers under Order 50 of C.I. 47, after the applicant accused the respondent of undermining the authority of the court despite a ruling in his favour on April 15, 2025.

Central to the case was a speech delivered by Nii Adote Otintor II during a pre-Homowo health walk held on the disputed land. The court found that the remarks were deliberately denigrating and constituted a direct attack on Nii Kojo Danso II, his family, and stool.

According to the court, the statements were not only unrelated to the purpose of the event—held in memory of a late Sempe Chief of Staff—but were intended to send a defiant message and restrict the applicant’s ability to enjoy the fruits of the court’s earlier judgment.

“The tenor of the speech was directed at the applicant for exercising his constitutional right of access to the courts,” the ruling noted, adding that such conduct amounted to interference with the due administration of justice.

The court held that the respondent’s actions demonstrated a willful disregard for judicial authority and could discourage others from seeking legal redress in disputes involving traditional authorities.
Although the court found the respondent in contempt, it described the sanction as lenient, ordering him to sign a bond to be of good behaviour for 12 months instead of imposing a custodial sentence.
The case has attracted significant public interest, highlighting ongoing tensions surrounding land ownership and enforcement of court rulings in chieftaincy disputes within urban communities.
Legal observers say the decision reinforces the judiciary’s stance on upholding its authority, particularly in cases where traditional leadership intersects with land governance.
The matter underscores broader concerns about compliance with court orders in Ghana’s land sector, where competing claims and customary authority often complicate legal enforcement.

Source: Newsghana