The Supreme Court has temporarily halted the sentencing of Ernest Yaw Kumi, the Member of Parliament for Akwatia, following a contempt of court conviction.

In a 4-1 ruling, the court granted a stay on the Koforidua High Court’s decision, pending a final ruling on Kumi’s motion to overturn the conviction.

Justice Gabriel Pwamang dissented from the majority decision, while the other four justices supported the stay.

Mr. Kumi, who was convicted by Justice Emmanuel Senyo Amadehe of the Koforidua High Court on February 19, had been found in contempt of court for defying an interim injunction that barred him from being sworn in as a legislator. The court had also issued a bench warrant for his arrest.

The MP’s legal counsel, Gary Nimako Marfo, filed a certiorari and prohibition application at the Supreme Court, arguing that Justice Amadehe made a “jurisdictional error” by proceeding with the case before the Electoral Commission had published the official Gazette notification of the election results for the Akwatia Constituency.

Source:TheDotNews