The Accra High Court has sentenced three pastors to five days in prison for contempt of court.
Apostles Samuel Anang Sowah, Bishop Abraham Adjetey Adjei, and Bishop Daniel Buernor Tokoli, formerly affiliated with the Holy Apostolic Reformed Church (HARC), were found guilty of defying a court order prohibiting them from interfering with church activities.
In addition to the prison sentences, Justice William Boampong imposed a fine of GH¢1,000 on each pastor to be paid to the church which filed the contempt case.
The ruling followed a previous conviction on October 27, 2023, when the court found the pastors in contempt for conducting church services at the Tema, Teshie, and Nungua branches despite a pending injunction against such activities.
The court had initially cautioned and discharged the pastors, who the church leadership had already dismissed.
However, the recent ruling highlighted that the pastors continued to defy the court’s orders by holding services at the branches, as mentioned earlier on October 29, 2023, just two days after their initial contempt conviction.
Justice Boampong emphasized that the pastors’ actions undermined the administration of justice by disregarding an active court order.
“The court had previously cautioned and discharged the respondents, but they violated the court’s restraint.
They must now face the consequences of their actions,” the judge stated.
The Trustees of HARC brought the contempt case, which accused the pastors of breaching the church’s constitution by acting independently and rejecting the authority of the church’s leadership.
The plaintiffs sought a court declaration that the branches taken over by the pastors remained under the control of HARC’s headquarters and an order barring the pastors from any further involvement with the church until they complied with the headquarters’ directives.
