Private Legal Practitioner, Martin Kpebu, has called on the Member of Parliament for Akwatia, Ernest Yaw Kumi, to resign from his position to avoid further embarrassment of the court following his conviction for contempt of court.
According to Kpebu, Mr. Kumi’s deliberate disregard for a court order and subsequent actions have brought the authority of the judiciary into disrepute, which could result in a severe sentence.
This follows an arrest warrant issued by the Koforidua High Court against the MP for contempt of court. The court presided over by Justice Senyo Amedahe, found Mr. Kumi guilty after he willfully disobeyed an interim injunction prohibiting him from presenting himself to be sworn in as the Member of Parliament for Akwatia.
Despite the court order, Mr. Kumi proceeded to be sworn in and has continued to hold himself out as an MP.
The court, after establishing that Mr. Kumi had flouted its orders, issued a bench warrant for his arrest following his absence during sentencing.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, Martin Kpebu emphasized that Mr. Kumi’s actions were a blatant disrespect to the court, which could attract a harsh judgment.
He advised the MP to resign immediately to avoid further legal consequences and public embarrassment.
“He can only continue to hold himself if the sentence is mild. I say so because I am trying to imagine, how will the judge give him a life sentence when he clearly brought the authority of the court into such great disrepute. Because there was a court order, he ignored it and he kept going to parliament and holding himself as a member of parliament, this is really tough.
“Because if we are using the normal measures, the judge may say that he is going to four years or the rest of the term of parliament, though it is harsh to give. Otherwise, how will the judge go to restore the authority of the court? The judge will likely not give a sentence of less than one month for him to serve that term and come back to continue in parliament.
“It will make a mockery of the proceedings. So, unless something else happens behind the scenes. He really has to resign if he wants to avoid the situation of continuing to embarrass the court,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, stated that the caucus will take steps to ensure that the Akwatia MP, Ernest Yaw Kumi, complies with the law.
Addressing the media, Afenyo-Markin described the court’s directive as unfair and unsatisfactory, adding leadership is yet to obtain a copy of the court ruling and its accompanying orders before an official stance is taken on the matter.
Credit to Channel1news
