The Tema High Court has fined socialite, Valentina Nana Agyeiwaa, popularly known as Afia Schwarzenegger an amount of GH¢60,000 in a contempt case pending before the court.
Afia Schwarzenegger was sentenced to 10 days in prison for contempt of court on December 1, 2022.
However, Afia Schwarzenegger was absent on the day of pronouncement.
She made an appearance on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, in the company of her lawyer, Adrian Duke Amaning who moved a motion on notice for a variation of the sentence.
Coming under Order 50 Rule 4(1) and Rule 5 of the High Court (Civil Procedures) Rules which deal with the suspension of an order and discharge of a person committed, respectively, he prayed the court to suspend the sentence.
Order 50 Rule 4(1) states that the court, which makes an order of committal, may by an order direct that the execution of the order of committal shall be suspended for such period or on such other terms and conditions as it may specify, while Rule 5 (1) states that the court may, on the application of any person committed to prison for contempt of court, discharge the person.
Mr. Amaning further indicated that his client had shown remorse and had since published her apology to the court.
In court on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, Justice Emmanuel Ankamah granted the application of the convict and substituted the jail sentence to 5000 penalty units.
The court also asked her to pay GH¢5k to Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako also known as Chairman Wontumi, for making defamatory comments against him.
The court further ordered the socialite to sign a bond of good behaviour for 36 months and also ordered her not to comment on the case on any platform during the pendency of the bond.
The court directed that any breach of the orders will warrant her being dragged back to the court.
The court further indicated that considering the fact that the applicant has apologized and shown remorse, she deserves a second chance.
