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AMA: Stanley Adjiri Blankson not served |
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A senior legal officer of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Selina Fenteng, has told a Fast Track High Court in Accra that the Mayor, Stanley Adjiri Blankson has still not been served with a contempt of court suit filed against him last week. |
She said the mayor has been outside the jurisdiction of the court.
This explanation was prompted after Godfred Yeboah Dame, Counsel for the plaintiff informed the court that they are having difficulties serving the mayor with the suit. He said bailiffs have been to the mayor's office on several occasions without any success.
The AMA lawyer told the court, which was presided by Justice Ofoe, that they do not know why they are before him. According to her, the substantive case was handled by Justice P K Gyaesayor and therefore if there is any matter arising from it, it is only appropriate to send it before the same judge.
Later on, the court was informed that the mayor has returned into the jurisdiction on Sunday and therefore ordered that attempts be made to serve him. The case has been adjourned to May 5.
The Mayor of Accra, Stanley Adjiri Blankson and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly have jointly been cited for contempt for failing or refusing to carry out the judgment of an Accra Fast Track Court given on April 10, 2006.
On the said date, the court had ordered among other things the eviction of hawkers on the Knutsford Avenue and ordered the Accra Metropolitan Authority to provide vehicular access to the Knutsford Avenue. The court also restrained the AMA from ever converting the Knustford Avenue into a market for hawkers.
The contempt of court application was brought by Labib Seraphim, owner of the Seraphim Department Store and Seraphim House, a six storey commercial building located at Knutsford Avenue.
The contempt application also seeks an order from the court to impose a very heavy fine on AMA and commit Adjiri Blankson to prison.
The case of the plaintiff is that notwithstanding the clear and mandatory orders of the court contained in the judgment of April 10, 2006, Adjiri Blankson and AMA have for the past two years refused to carry out same. They argued that the hawkers continue to exercise absolute dominion over the Knutsford Avenue with the active connivance and complicity of AMA.
It is the view of Labib Seraphim that AMA's willful violation of the orders of the court is infringing on his constitutionally guaranteed property rights and other property owners of the Knutsford Avenue. They held that the situation is also gravely hampering his lawful business activities and other property owners.
They further argued that in spite of the clear order by the court for provision of vehicular accessibility to Labib Seraphim and other property owners on the Knutsford Avenue, there are still in place certain pillars created by AMA which should have been removed as part of the process of executing the court's order.
The plaintiff pointed out to the court that a huge and deep ditch has also been dug in front of Labib Seraphim and has been uncovered for over one year now, noting, "The foregoing hugely contravenes the explicit orders of the court and seriously inhibits vehicular and human accessibility to the property of the plaintiff"s store."
According to Labib Seraphim, the situation on numerous occasions has been brought to the attention of Adjiri Blankson and AMA but they have refused to remedy it.
They said the refusal of Adjiri Blankson and AMA to carry out the orders of the court is calculated at interfering with and obstructing the due administration of justice and in the event, undermine the authority of a court of competent jurisdiction. |
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