The Accra High Court hearing the contempt case against Kennedy Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin Central, has ordered his medical doctor to appear before it to speak to an excuse duty issued on Mr Agyapong’s behalf.
Mr Agyapong, who was supposed to appear before the Court Monday morning failed to show up.
His lawyers, however, submitted a medical excuse duty from the Holy Trinity Medical Centre/Spa.
Lead Counsel for Mr Agyapong, Kwame Gyan, told the Court that after the previous sitting on Friday, Mr Ayapong suffered from complications from a post COVID-19 condition that he suffered last month.
He said they immediately arranged for him to seek medical support and diagnosis from the doctor who treated him for COVID-19.
The Lead Counsel said they had attached the report to a cover letter to the court for submission, arguing that it was not out of disrespect that he (Agyapong) was not able to appear before the Court.
“The Court records would reflect that, since the service of the order via substitution, the applicant has consistently been in court and on time. This is our prayer and we beseech you to allow us an adjournment to get him in good health.”
The Court, presided over by Justice Amos Wuntah Wuni, accepted the excuse duty and the request for an adjournment.
It said the request for adjournment had been granted, “however, it is hereby ordered that the medical officer, Dr Ken Addo, of Holy Trinity Medical Centre/Spa and Health Farm, appears before this court, on Thursday October 1, to speak to the medical excuse duty.”
“We have to create a good country for ourselves. The way medical excuses are given these days, somebody must speak to the issues.
Having written such an excuse duty, he must come to court.”
At the previous sitting, Mr Agyapong pleaded not guilty to the charge of contempt, where the video, which lasted close to four minutes, was played.
He was supposed to reappear before the Court to present his defence and subsequently for the Court to give its ruling.
Mr Agyapong is alleged to have made a statement deemed contemptuous in the case in which Susan Bandoh and Christopher Akuetteh Kotei had sued him, one Ibrahim Jaja, Nana Yaw Duodu aka Sledge and the Inspector General of Police in a land dispute.
Whiles the case was still pending, the Court’s attention was drawn to a television (NET2 TV) and radio (Oman FM ) programmes aired on September 2, this year, where the MP was alleged to have “scandalised and threatened” the Court.
A court order, signed on September 9, by Justice Wuni, said: “I hereby summon the said Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, per a warrant issued under my hand and seal, to appear before the High Court (Land Court 12) on Monday, September 14, 2020 at 1000 hours to show cause why he should not be severely punished for contempt, if the matters are proven against him to the satisfaction of the court.”
GNA