The Cape Coast Court premises was on Tuesday turned into a boxing ring when a High Court ruled that the three months prison sentence handed to the Paramount Chief of Edina Traditional Area, Nana Kodwo Conduah VI on April 16, 2012 be commuted to eight days.
Supporters of both the respondent and applicant clashed outside the court premises immediately after the court ruling was read as those against were not happy about the decision of the court to free the Omanhene.
It took the intervention of some passersby and security personnel to calm down the tempers of the raging factions who were later made dispatched to their various households.
The court was even compelled to lock its main gate to prevent the feuding factions from causing mayhem in the court premises.
Others had to go through the “back door” in order to get into the court or exit the court premises.
Delivering the Court ruling, His Lordship Judge James B. Benson stated that the decision of the court to reduce the sentence is based on the fact that the respondent has shown remorse and apologised for his conduct.
Judge Benson added that the court was also made to understand through a medical report that the respondent was not well hence the decision.
He added that the reduction of the sentence was necessitated by the fact that counsel for the respondent, Lawyer Ebow Dawson filed an appeal against the decision of the court to grant him bail pending the determination of the court.
He stated that after reading through the ruling and realising that the appeal could not stand, the counsel for the respondent filed a motion for mitigation of sentence on the grounds that for the period that the respondent has been in prison, he has learnt his lesson and also apologised for his conduct.
The court also ordered the respondent to pay a fine of GH ¢ 3,000 to the court or in default serve a month jail sentence as well as pay another fine of GH ¢ 2,500 to the applicant.
Counsel for the applicant, Lawyer Ato Amponsah Dadzie expressed concern about the conduct of the supporters of the respondent who have been verbally and physically assaulting supporters of the applicant.
He prayed the court to call them to order to maintain peace and order in the Elmina Township.
TODAY observed at the court that almost all the sub chiefs in the Elmina Traditional Council were present during the ruling.
The chiefs wore black cloth in solidarity with their convicted leader.
It will be recalled that Nana Kodwo Conduah was sentenced to three months in prison on Monday April 16, 2012 for contempt of court.
The chief was summoned to court by one Supi Asmah, the applicant in 2002 after committing five counts of contempt by disobeying a court injunction ordering him to stop carrying himself as the paramount chief of Elmina.
Meanwhile, the eight day jail term expired on Monday and counsel for the respondent has been given the go ahead to facilitate the needed documentation for his bail.
STORY: FROM MAGDALENE SEY, CAPE COAST, C/R
