Full Judgment: Why Herald Newspaper Editor was jailed seven days for contempt of court

The Accra High Court has sentenced Larry Dogbe, Managing Editor of The Herald newspaper, to seven days in prison for contempt of court.

Justice Isaac Addo handed down the sentence after the court found that Mr Dogbe had disobeyed an injunction order in a defamation case filed by businessman Kevin Okyere.

Mr Okyere, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Springfield Group, had sued the publishers of The Herald, Mr Dogbe and others for defamation.

As part of the case, he applied for an injunction to restrain the defendants from continuing to publish allegedly defamatory material against him until the substantive suit was determined.

The court granted the injunction.

However, Mr Okyere later returned to court with a contempt application, arguing that The Herald continued to publish material about him despite the order.

He contended that the order had been lawfully brought to the attention of Mr Dogbe and the other respondents.

In his affidavit, Mr Okyere said the continued publications amounted to a deliberate disregard of the court’s authority.

He argued that the conduct was calculated to bring the court into disrepute by creating the impression that its orders could be ignored.

Mr Dogbe opposed the contempt application.

He argued that he was not aware of the injunction order at the time the publications were made.

He also challenged the admissibility of some of the documents relied on by Mr Okyere in support of the application.

The court, however, rejected his defence and found merit in the contempt application.

Justice Addo held that the publications, made despite the pending injunction, constituted disobedience of the court’s orders.

The court said the conduct was an affront to the administration of justice and capable of bringing the court into disrepute.

Mr Dogbe was consequently convicted for contempt and sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment.

The substantive defamation suit filed by Mr Okyere remains pending before the court.

Read the full judgment below;