![\"Manasseh,](\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/gavel3min.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n\nManasseh, Sulemana Braimah, Edwin Appiah, MFWA fined for contempt over ‘Darkness in a Lighthouse’ story <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
An Accra High Court has fined Manasseh\u00a0<\/span>Azure Awuni and three others GH\u00a22,400 each over\u00a0<\/span>a contemptuous publication titled,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cDarkness in a Lighthouse\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nThe three others are Edwin Appiah,\u00a0<\/span>Sulemana Braimah and the Media\u00a0<\/span>Foundation for West Africa (MFWA).<\/span><\/p>\nIn a ruling Tuesday (October 25, 2022), the court, presided\u00a0<\/span>over by Justice Jane Harriet Akweley Quaye,\u00a0<\/span>held that the headline for the articles were\u00a0<\/span>not only sensational but prejudicial.<\/span><\/p>\nIn default of the fine, Azure, Edwin\u00a0<\/span>Appiah, Sulemana Braimah will serve one\u00a0<\/span>month in jail.<\/span><\/p>\nThey have also been ordered to apologise\u00a0<\/span>using the same medium they used for the\u00a0<\/span>contemptuous publication.<\/span><\/p>\nContempt<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Lighthouse Chapel International\u00a0<\/span>(LCI) filed the contempt case against the\u00a0<\/span>four over publications which the church\u00a0<\/span>said were prejudicial and conclusive in an\u00a0<\/span>unresolved case between six former pastors\u00a0<\/span>of the LCI and the church.<\/span><\/p>\nThe church had earlier sued the\u00a0<\/span>defendants in December last year over three\u00a0<\/span>articles they published against the church\u00a0<\/span>titled, \u2018\u2019Darkness in a Lighthouse\u2019\u2019 in April<\/span>2021.<\/span><\/p>\nIn its contempt application, the church\u00a0<\/span>urged the High Court to commit the\u00a0<\/span>respondents to prison for contempt of court\u00a0<\/span>for publishing \u201chighly prejudicial articles\u00a0<\/span>and commentaries\u201d as well as making<\/span>\u201c conclusive statements of facts on\u00a0<\/span>unresolved issues which are yet to be\u00a0<\/span>determined by the High Court\u2019\u2019<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIt said despite warning the respondents\u00a0<\/span>in its defamation suit that the articles were\u00a0<\/span>in contempt of court, they (respondents)<\/span>continued to publish the articles in\u00a0<\/span>December last year.<\/span><\/p>\nAccording to the affidavit in support of\u00a0<\/span>the motion, three of the articles which were\u00a0<\/span>the subject matter of the contempt\u00a0<\/span>application were titled \u201cDarkness in a\u00a0<\/span>Lighthouse\u201d and were published on April 23,\u00a0<\/span>27 and 29 in 2021. <\/span><\/p>\nMitigation<\/strong><\/p>\nIn his plea of mitigation, counsel for the\u00a0<\/span>respondents urged the court to temper\u00a0<\/span>justice with mercy.<\/span><\/p>\nAnother counsel, Shadrack Arhin, who\u00a0<\/span>added his voice to the plea of mercy, said the\u00a0<\/span>media was very credible in leading everyone\u00a0<\/span>in the fight to make things right in the\u00a0<\/span>country.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cSo when they do err, my lady they have\u00a0<\/span>to be punished, we all plead that you soften\u00a0<\/span>the punishment,\u201d counsel prayed.<\/span><\/p>\nRuling<\/strong><\/p>\nIn her ruling, the presiding judge said\u00a0<\/span>the headline was revealing and sought to\u00a0<\/span>paint that the Church had or was\u00a0<\/span>committing some wrong;\u00a0<\/span>She said while respect for human right\u00a0<\/span>was fundamental, no right was absolute\u00a0<\/span>and there were limits in the exercise of such\u00a0<\/span>rights.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
In a ruling Tuesday (October 25, 2022), the court, presided\u00a0<\/span>over by Justice Jane Harriet Akweley Quaye,\u00a0<\/span>held that the headline for the articles were\u00a0<\/span>not only sensational but prejudicial.<\/span><\/p>\n In default of the fine, Azure, Edwin\u00a0<\/span>Appiah, Sulemana Braimah will serve one\u00a0<\/span>month in jail.<\/span><\/p>\n They have also been ordered to apologise\u00a0<\/span>using the same medium they used for the\u00a0<\/span>contemptuous publication.<\/span><\/p>\n Contempt<\/strong><\/p>\n The Lighthouse Chapel International\u00a0<\/span>(LCI) filed the contempt case against the\u00a0<\/span>four over publications which the church\u00a0<\/span>said were prejudicial and conclusive in an\u00a0<\/span>unresolved case between six former pastors\u00a0<\/span>of the LCI and the church.<\/span><\/p>\n The church had earlier sued the\u00a0<\/span>defendants in December last year over three\u00a0<\/span>articles they published against the church\u00a0<\/span>titled, \u2018\u2019Darkness in a Lighthouse\u2019\u2019 in April<\/span>2021.<\/span><\/p>\n In its contempt application, the church\u00a0<\/span>urged the High Court to commit the\u00a0<\/span>respondents to prison for contempt of court\u00a0<\/span>for publishing \u201chighly prejudicial articles\u00a0<\/span>and commentaries\u201d as well as making<\/span>\u201c conclusive statements of facts on\u00a0<\/span>unresolved issues which are yet to be\u00a0<\/span>determined by the High Court\u2019\u2019<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It said despite warning the respondents\u00a0<\/span>in its defamation suit that the articles were\u00a0<\/span>in contempt of court, they (respondents)<\/span>continued to publish the articles in\u00a0<\/span>December last year.<\/span><\/p>\n According to the affidavit in support of\u00a0<\/span>the motion, three of the articles which were\u00a0<\/span>the subject matter of the contempt\u00a0<\/span>application were titled \u201cDarkness in a\u00a0<\/span>Lighthouse\u201d and were published on April 23,\u00a0<\/span>27 and 29 in 2021. <\/span><\/p>\n Mitigation<\/strong><\/p>\n In his plea of mitigation, counsel for the\u00a0<\/span>respondents urged the court to temper\u00a0<\/span>justice with mercy.<\/span><\/p>\n Another counsel, Shadrack Arhin, who\u00a0<\/span>added his voice to the plea of mercy, said the\u00a0<\/span>media was very credible in leading everyone\u00a0<\/span>in the fight to make things right in the\u00a0<\/span>country.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSo when they do err, my lady they have\u00a0<\/span>to be punished, we all plead that you soften\u00a0<\/span>the punishment,\u201d counsel prayed.<\/span><\/p>\n Ruling<\/strong><\/p>\n In her ruling, the presiding judge said\u00a0<\/span>the headline was revealing and sought to\u00a0<\/span>paint that the Church had or was\u00a0<\/span>committing some wrong;\u00a0<\/span>She said while respect for human right\u00a0<\/span>was fundamental, no right was absolute\u00a0<\/span>and there were limits in the exercise of such\u00a0<\/span>rights.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n