Kumasi: The Asante Mampong High Court in the Ashanti Region has fined 13 members of a family GHS50,000 each for contempt of court after they allegedly defied a court injunction and proceeded with an Islamic marriage ceremony involving a married woman.
According to Ghana Web, the ruling was delivered by His Worship Justice William Boampong following a protracted two-year legal battle. The case revolves around a dispute involving Hajia Alima Issah, the fourth wife of businessman Alhaji Abass, who is popularly known as 'Alhaji Abass Transport.'
Court records indicate that Hajia Alima Issah, who shares five children with Alhaji Abass, left her matrimonial home to visit her parents. Approximately a month later, she reportedly decided to marry another man, despite her existing marriage to Alhaji Abass. In response, Alhaji Abass sought intervention from the traditional court of the Asantehemaa at Manhyia, which issued an injunction preventing Hajia Issah's family from facilitating another marriage until the matter was resolved.
However, the family allegedly ignored the traditional court's directive. Alhaji Abass then filed an application at the Asante Mampong High Court, which granted an injunction against the proposed marriage and served the order on family members. Despite this, the family allegedly went ahead with the Islamic marriage ceremony between Hajia Alima Issah and her new husband.
As a result, the court cited 13 family members for contempt, accusing them of willfully disobeying its lawful order. Justice Boampong found the respondents guilty of contempt and imposed a fine of GHS50,000 on each. Those unable to pay the fines face 30 days in prison pending the hearing of the substantive case.
Three of the respondents did not appear in court for the ruling, prompting the court to issue bench warrants for their arrest. The convicted family members have been taken into custody and are currently behind bars as they struggle to raise the fines necessary for their release.