Lawyers representing the applicants who filed a contempt application against Deputy Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police (COP) Christian Tetteh Yohuno, and two other senior police officers have issued a sincere apology for the public embarrassment caused by the case.
It emerged in court that the contempt application, which had gained widespread media attention, had not been personally served on the Deputy IGP and the two officers—ASP Alhassan Malaika Jibril and Superintendent Bawa Alhassan—as required by legal procedures.
During the court session on Friday, January 31, 2025, lawyer Abu Juan, representing the Deputy IGP and the two officers, informed the High Court that his clients had only learned about the case through the media and had not received formal service of the contempt processes.
Justice Kenneth Edem Kudjordjie, who presided over the case, expressed concern over the manner in which the issue was handled, emphasizing that it was a sensitive matter that should not have been used to publicly embarrass the officers.
Although the applicants, Theophilus Nii Teiko Tagoe and Samuel Nii Odai Quaye, insisted that the application had been served on the Police Service’s legal directorate, their lawyers nonetheless offered a formal apology to the Deputy IGP and the two officers.
The court has adjourned the case to February 24, 2025. Additionally, Justice Kudjordjie ruled that the senior officers are not required to appear in person during subsequent hearings and may instead be represented by designated junior officers.
Background
The case stems from an application filed by Theophilus Nii Teiko Tagoe, who is seeking to have the High Court in Accra (Land Division) commit the Deputy IGP and two senior police officers to prison for contempt of court.
Tagoe alleges that COP Tetteh Yohuno, ASP Alhassan Malaika Jibril, and Superintendent Bawa Alhassan aided land guards in forcefully taking possession of his land in Adjiringano, Accra.
He claims the officers provided security for the land guards to take over property he legally acquired from the Nungua Traditional Stool in 2007.
In addition to this case, Tagoe has filed a separate contempt motion against six other individuals, also requesting that they be committed to prison.
