In a recent ruling by Her Ladyship Dr. Bridget Kafui Anthonio-Apedzi (Mrs.), the High Court of Justice, Ghana Land Division, has found Nowak Developments Limited and Oko NorteiOmaboe guilty of contempt in a land dispute case filed by Life Group of Companies Ltd.
The dispute centered around a parcel of land situated at Airport Commercial Centre, Accra, which Life Group of Companies claims ownership of through a lease acquired from the Government of Ghana. Allegedly, Nowak Developments Ltd. encroached on this land and used it as a car park, despite being served with court orders and the pendency of legal proceedings.
In their defense, Nowak Developments Limited argued that they had obtained a lease from the Lands Commission for the purpose of operating a multi-storey car park and had subsequently entered into a loan agreement using the land as collateral.
However, the court found that Nowak Developments Ltd. and Oko Nortei Omaboe’s actions amounted to contempt of court, as they knowingly disregarded the court’s authority and interfered with the fair trial of the case. The court imposed a fine of GHS 50,000 or in default, a 3-week imprisonment sentence on the defendants.
Furthermore, the court set aside any use of the consent granted by the Lands Commission for the mortgage transaction until the final determination of the case, emphasizing the need to preserve the integrity of the judicial process.
Read the full ruling below for comprehensive details.
