The Adentan High Court has taken steps to cite the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, for contempt of court over her alleged involvement in activities on a disputed parcel of land at Dodowa.
The court ordered that the Minister be served with a motion on notice seeking her committal for contempt, along with a hearing notice directing her to appear and explain why she should not be committed to prison. The court further directed that the documents be served through substituted means, including posting copies on the court’s notice board, at the Minister’s residence, and publication in the Daily Graphic. Copies are also to be served on the Chief Director of the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council.
The case, titled Republic v. Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo (Defendant), ex parte Bernard Oduro, has been adjourned to June 24, 2026.
The dispute centres on a parcel of land claimed by Mr. Bernard Oduro, which has been earmarked for the proposed relocation of the Dodowa Market. The land is currently the subject of ongoing litigation between Mr. Oduro and the Attorney-General.
According to an affidavit filed by the applicant, the court had on October 22, 2025, granted an interlocutory injunction restraining the Minister from undertaking any development on the land pending the final determination of the case. The order, he said, was duly served on both the Minister and the Chief Director.
However, Mr. Oduro alleged that around April 17, 2026, he discovered that the land was being cleared and graded by individuals who, upon investigation, claimed they were acting on the instructions of the Minister.
He further stated that a complaint lodged with the Ghana Police Service led to the arrest of the workers, but the Minister subsequently intervened and ordered their release, reportedly indicating that they were acting under her directives.
The applicant also alleged that the Minister, in the presence of senior police officials, insisted that work on the land would continue despite the subsisting court injunction, citing the urgency of relocating the Dodowa Market.
Mr. Oduro contended that despite warnings from his legal counsel that such actions were in breach of the court’s orders, the Minister proceeded with the activities. He added that in media interviews granted on April 28, 2026, the Minister acknowledged awareness of both the litigation and the injunction but maintained that her plans would go ahead.
The applicant argues that the Minister’s actions constitute a wilful disregard for the authority of the court and amount to contempt.
The court is expected to determine the matter when the case is called on June 24, 2026.
