Judge adjourns hearing on why Kennedy Agyapong failed to show up in court

An Accra High Court has adjourned a hearing on why NPP MP, Kennedy Agyapong, failed to show up for his contempt case.

The hearing was to allow doctor of the Assin Central’s MP, Ken Addo, to explain an excuse form he gave the controversial law maker which formed the basis of his absence.

His lawyers had explained, at the last sitting, the excuse form revealed that Kennedy Agyapong was “suffering from complications from the post-COVID-19 condition he suffered last month.”

But the judge, Justice Amos Wuntah Wuni, summoned the medical doctor, who works at the Holy Trinity Spa in Accra, to come to court and explain the excuse form.

That court hearing was fixed for October 1, 2020.

But reporters turned up in court and found the court was not ready to sit.

A statement issued by the registrar later said the hearing had been adjourned after the judge’s ‘sober reflection’ on the matter.

A new date for the hearing has been fixed for October 6, 2020.

Background

For comments made on his TV station, Net 2 TV, the Assin Central MP was charged with insulting a judge, scandalizing the court, and bringing the court into disrepute.

The tough-talking NPP financier called the judge ‘foolish’ and ‘stupid’.

Ahead of the first hearing on the contempt charges,his lawyers on September 18 urged the court to halt proceedings.

They explained that they had filed an application at the Supreme Court challenging Justice Awuni’s jurisdiction to hear the matter.

Although Justice Wuni had argued that nothing barred him from proceeding with the case, he adjourned proceedings to September 25 to hear further legal arguments from Mr. Agyapong’s team.

The court on September 25 was informed of a petition Mr. Agyapong had sent to the Chief Justice alleging possible bias in the part of the judge.

The case proceeded nonetheless as his charge was read.

Kennedy Agyapong pleaded not guilty to the charges, following which the court played the video containing comments he made on September 2, 2020.

The case continues.