The Accra High Court has dismissed a contempt case brought before it by Gyashie Abeka against the Chief of Oduman, Nii Odu IV. The court, presided over by Her Ladyship Audrey Kocuvie-Tay sitting in General Jurisdiction 9 of the Court Complex in Accra dismissed the case as without merit on the 31st day of
July, 2023.
GYASHIE ABEKA sought the court’s permission to commit NII ODU IV to contempt following the confinement and installation of NII ODU IV as chief of ODUMAN near Ablekuma in the GA WEST municipality in the Greater Accra Region.
By an act of destoolment, Gyashie Abeka was destooled as the Chief of Oduman in the year 2014 by the Kingmakers and Principal Elders of the Oduman Stool for having breached and flouted the traditions, rules, regulations, and customary rites of the stool.
The grounds for Gyashie Abeka’s destoolment were made explicit in a letter addressed to Nii Adote Otintor II, Sempe Mantse, in which the Divisional Council confirmed his destoolment.
Gyashie Abeka, being dissatisfied and aggrieved by his destoolment as the Chief of Oduman, instituted an action in suit No. GTC/JC2/14 at the Ga Traditional Council. After five years of litigation, the Ga Traditional Council affirmed the destoolment of Gyashie Abeka in a judgment dated April 10, 2019.
NII ODU IV, known in private life as Moses Jeshie Appleh, was enstooled and sworn into office on October 4, 2020 (a year after the Ga Traditional Council delivered their judgment).
Lawyer Christopher Kwame Meenu, counsel for Nii Odu IV, prayed the court to award costs of GH¢50,000 against Gyashie Abeka, saying the contempt case was just a waste of Nii Odu IV time but her Ladyship awarded a cost of GH¢10,000 against the applicant.
