By: Hafsatu Z Bangura
High Court Judge, Justice Adrian Fisher on Monday 23 January 2023 stated in court that the next ruling of the All Peoples Congress (APC) Party request on the extension of time will be backed by a warrant of arrest for failing to follow the Court Ruling on the conduct of their party election by the ITGC members.
He said before the election, lawbreakers at the ITGC will be sent to prison for contempt of court.
Justice Fisher said he knows what exactly the activities of the party are as he is reading newspapers daily. He said he is exercising patience for progress to be made within the party.
Lawyer Jesse Jengo in his submission on behalf of the applicant contemnor Alfred Peter Conteh said they are not opposing the application for an extension of time filed by the defendant but insisted that he is opposing to paragraph eighteen and nineteen of the affidavit that was signed by the Secretary General Abdul Kargbo should be discountenanced.
In reply, lawyer A. Showers submitted that the affidavit filed by Honorable Abdul Kargbo is before the court and he is the secretary General of the ITGC, adding that the ITGC has been given the mandate to supervise the activities of the party.
He said in the said paragraph there are facts and concerns regarding issues of the ITGC and him personally and there is no way he could reply to those issues in his capacity if he did not include it on the said affidavit.
He said the allegations made against his client are very serious and it is consent based on the ruling given by the court on 23 November 2022 and if he does not defend himself he will be brought before the court for contempt.
Lawyer Jengo said it is clearly stated in the affidavit where Honorable Abdul Kargbo said “As ihn dae Sweet Us ihn dae Pain Dem”.
He said a letter was written on 16 January 2023 for the meeting to be held for an extension of time but it was served to his client on 18 January 2023 and his client opted that they should hold the meeting on 20 January 2023.
Justice Fisher then asked lawyer Jengo if he was instructed by his client as to the reason why the meeting should be held on the 20 because it has passed the time frame given by the court for all lower-level elections to be held within the party.
Lawyer Jengo responded that at the time the message went out his client was out of the ITGC group as he stated that he had problems with his phone but pleaded with the judge to look at the matter as a father on both sides for the progress of the work at the party.
The learned judge said Alfred Peter Conteh is the Chairman of the ITGC and the over roll instruction is based on him.
At this juncture, Justice Fisher said notices will be sent out for ruling with a warrant of arrest attached to it.