Embattled **Akwatia MP, Ernest Yaw Kumi**, has escalated his legal battle to the **Supreme Court**, seeking to overturn a **contempt of court conviction** handed down by the **Koforidua High Court** on **February 19, 2025**.
The ruling, delivered by **Justice Emmanuel Senyo Amadehe**, not only found Kumi guilty of contempt but also issued a **bench warrant for his arrest** for allegedly defying an **interim injunction** that barred him from being sworn in as a legislator.
### **Allegations of Jurisdictional Errors and Bias**
Kumi’s legal team, led by **lawyer Gary Nimako**, argues that the **High Court lacked jurisdiction** when it took up the case. They contend that at the time the **parliamentary petition** was filed against Kumi’s election victory in Akwatia, the **Electoral Commission had not yet gazetted the election results**, making the case **premature and invalid**.
“The High Court Judge committed a jurisdictional error when he assumed authority over the petition without the Gazette Notification,” Nimako argued.
The MP’s lawyers have further accused Justice Amadehe of **bias and a violation of natural justice**, alleging that he unfairly denied their **right to be heard**.
“The learned High Court Judge was highly prejudiced against the applicant, refusing to grant counsel an audience simply because counsel had not filed an official ‘Appearance’ in the contempt application,” they claimed.
### **Seeking Supreme Court Intervention**
In response, Kumi is asking the **Supreme Court** to:
– **Declare the election petition filed on December 31, 2024, invalid**, as it lacked the necessary **Gazette Notification**.
– **Nullify the contempt ruling and the bench warrant**, arguing that they were based on an improperly filed petition.
– **Quash the High Court’s decision**, citing a lack of jurisdiction and procedural unfairness.
The Supreme Court has yet to set a date for the hearing, leaving the Akwatia MP’s political future uncertain. Meanwhile, the legal battle continues to spark debates over judicial authority in election disputes and the **limits of parliamentary immunity**.
