Professor Kpessa-Whyte Found Guilty of Contempt of Court by Supreme Court
In a recent development, Professor Kpessa-Whyte has been found guilty of contempt of court by the Supreme Court of Ghana. Initially, he pleaded not guilty to the charge of scandalizing the court, but later changed his plea to guilty with an explanation, and eventually pleaded guilty.
A panel of five judges, with Justice Mariama Owusu leading the proceedings, convicted Professor Kpessa-Whyte based on his own admission of guilt. The court held private discussions to determine the appropriate punishment after considering a plea for leniency from his lawyer, Dr. Justice Srem Sai.
During the proceedings, Professor Kpessa-Whyte’s counsel requested the court to show mercy towards his client, highlighting that he had apologized and retracted the contemptuous comments made.
In light of these circumstances, the apex court cautioned and discharged Professor Michael Kpessah-Whyte after taking into account his apology and the mitigating prayer from his counsel.
The controversy stemmed from Professor Kpessa-Whyte’s recent Twitter post, where he referred to the Supreme Court as being transformed into a “Stupid Court.” He further criticized the current state of the judiciary, alleging partisanship and a lack of common sense.
These tweets came shortly after the Supreme Court ordered the removal of NDC MP James Gyakye Quayson’s name from Parliament’s records due to procedural breaches during his nomination and election in 2020.
As a result of his statement, Dr. Kpessa-Whyte faced inquiries regarding his remarks, particularly concerning Ghana’s judiciary. However, he clarified that his tweets were not specifically targeting the Ghanaian judiciary but were influenced by global developments, including those in the United States.
Consequently, the Supreme Court summoned Dr. Kpessa-Whyte to provide a valid explanation for his alleged contemptuous remarks, initiating a process that led to his conviction for contempt of court.
Leave feedback about this