Courts empowered to deal with contempt cases - Justice Atuguba

A Supreme Court Judge, Justice William Atuguba, says the Courts have been sufficiently clothed with power to punish for contempt  on their own motion.

He said the Common Law and the Constitution empowers the Court to deal with Contempt cases without necessarily depending on another Constitutional body.

He was speaking at a symposium in Parliament to commemorate the Tenth Anniversary of the death of Justice D.F Annan, the First Speaker of Parliament under the Fourth Republic. 

The Symposium was under the theme Democratic Governance by the three Arms of Government under the 1992 Constitution. 

Atuguba was responding to some pronouncements in the public that the Supreme was not sufficiently empowered to prosecute and punish contemnors’ suo moto. 

Some critics are of the view that the Attorney General should be involved in prosecuting contemnors and that the Court particularly the Supreme Court Justices should not be prosecutors and judges in their own court.

The Majority Leader, Alban Bagbin, said Justice D.F Annan was instrumental in crafting the 1992 Constitution and particularly contributed to the inclusion of the indemnity Clauses in the Constitution aimed at promoting peaceful transition to constitutional rule. 

He highlighted Justice Annan’s brilliant rulings on issues that came up on the Floor of Parliament during his speakership and said his rulings have remained viable guides to successive Speakers and Parliament as a whole. 

Mr Bagbin also fondly remembered Justice DF Annan for his role in the establishment of the ECOWAS Parliament and also bringing Parliament closer to the people.

A Former Chief of Staff in President Rawlings Administration, Nana Ato Dadzie, who read the Biography of the late Speaker of Parliament, said Justice Annan was the Chairman of the National Commission for Democracy culminating in his appointment in 1984 as a full member of the PNDC. 

In his capacity as Chairman of the National Commission on Democracy, he discharged his duties successfully by overseeing the complete implementation of the transition program resulting in the inauguration of the Fourth Republic in January 1993. 

Nana Ato Dadzie said Justice Annan has a solid record of achievements as the most successful reformer of governance institutions of the Ghanaian state in the late twentieth century.

Justice Annan has been credited for building Parliament into an independent, strong, reputable and viable institution having served as Speaker for two terms. 

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr. Ekow Spio-Garbrah in his lecture said Justice Annan brought legitimacy and credibility to the PNDC to receive support from Bretton Woods institutions in the 80s. 

He said the late Speaker of Parliament brought stability and international recognition to Ghana through his sterling leadership. 

The Auditorium of the Parliament office complex was named after the Late Justice D F Annan at the ceremony.

GBC