A High Court in Asante Mampong has fined 13 family members GH¢50,000 each after finding them guilty of contempt of court in a marriage dispute involving a married woman.
The case, which has been before the court for about two years, centres on Hajia Alima Issah, a wife of businessman Alhaji Abass, popularly known as Alhaji Abass Transport.
According to court records, Hajia Alima, who has five children with Alhaji Abass, left her matrimonial home to stay with her family. About a month later, she reportedly decided to marry another man even though her marriage to Alhaji Abass had not been dissolved.
After learning about the planned marriage, Alhaji Abass first sought help from the traditional court of the Asantehemaa at Manhyia. The traditional authority is said to have directed the family not to proceed with any marriage arrangements until the matter had been settled.
When the directive was allegedly ignored, the businessman took the matter to the Asante Mampong High Court. The court then issued an injunction stopping the proposed marriage and court officials reportedly served the order on members of the woman’s family.
Despite the court order, the family allegedly went ahead with the Islamic marriage ceremony.
The court later cited 13 relatives for contempt, accusing them of deliberately disobeying a lawful order.
Delivering judgment, Justice William Boampong ruled that the family members had acted in defiance of the court’s directive and imposed a fine of GH¢50,000 on each person. The court further ordered that anyone who fails to pay the fine will serve 30 days in prison while the main case continues.
Three of the accused persons were absent when the ruling was delivered. As a result, the court issued bench warrants for their arrest.
The convicted relatives have reportedly been taken into custody as efforts continue to raise the money required to secure their release.
