A Kumasi businesswoman, Madam Juliana Osei Bonsu of Osborn Ventures, a waste Management company in Kumasi is bitterly complaining about the conduct of a Kumasi High Court judge who allegedly rained insults on her when she appeared before the Kumasi High Court (Commercial Division) last Wednesday December 11, 2019.
His Lordship Justice Kofi Akrowiah, who is also the Supervising High Court judge, claimed Madam Osei Bonsu had made allegations against him in 2016 in a petition to the Chief Justice.
According to the judge, Madam Osei Bonsu, had rumoured lies against him in the said petition and that she was a liar and dishonest and subsequently declined to do the case until mid-January next year.
Madam Osei Bonsu as plaintiff/judgment creditor/ applicant, had appeared before the judge for a reverse price for the auction of five heavy duty vehicles of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) impounded in a legal row over GH¢3.342 million debt owed to a businesswoman.
The plaintiff/judgment creditor/ applicant was in court with Lawyer Francis Koffie, the immediate past chairman of the Ashanti Regional chapter of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) who happens to be the mediator between Madam Osei Bonsu and the KMA.
At a sitting on December 22, 2017, the Court presided over by His Lordship Justice Kofi Akrowiah granted leave to the plaintiff/judgment creditor/applicant to go into execution after 20 days from the day of its ruling.
She was to go into execution on Wednesday January 11, 2017, for payment of a judgment debt.
In June, 2015, a Kumasi High Court (Commercial Division) gave judgment to the effect that the KMA should pay an amount of GHc249,188.40 representing five months of subsidies from January to May 2008 and a monthly sum of GHc33,051.31 for the period from January to October 2008.
The KMA was also to pay interest on the total sum as prayed in addition to GHc800,000 general damages as well as a cost of GHc50,000.00.
On July 12, 2016, in upholding the application for stay of execution, the court ordered that half of the judgment debt be paid by the defendant into Court and half be paid to the plaintiff as defendant judgment debtor pending the determination of the appeal.
The directive was later change to the payment of a quarter of the judgment debt to the defendant pending the determination which directive was also later turned.
Following the inconsistency in the judge’s orders Madam Osei Bonsu was compelled to petition the Chief Justice for fairness.
She said when Justice Akrowiah complained about the petition, her counsel advised her to withdraw the petition to the Chief Justice which she obliged and served the judge a copy of the letter withdrawing the petition to the CJ to indicate her genuineness and thus end the impasse.
It came as surprise to Madam Osei Bonsu when the judge revisited the issue last Wednesday and rained insults on her for peddling lies about him when she appeared before him.
She believes the judge intends to frustrate her in pursuing her right as she did in 2016 when the court granted leave to the plaintiff/judgment creditor/applicant to go into execution but on ordered that she could into execution only after 20 days from the day of its ruling.
Madam Osei Bonsu says the ranting of the judge last Wednesday was irrelevant and uncalled for having settled any misunderstanding between them with the withdrawal of the petition to his Superior.
The plaintiff/judgment creditor/applicant feels embarrassed by the conduct of the judge saying it is a clear case of defamation of character and is demanding an apology for the embarrassment and disrespect in raining insults on her person else she would take legal action to redeem her image.
She reminded the judge that he was mandated to protect members of the public and not to undermine public confidence and erode the integrity of the court by being insulting and abusive in the discharge of his duty.
