Chief Justice Rejects Request to Transfer Sampa Chieftaincy Contempt Case from Kumasi High Court

The Chief Justice has declined a request to transfer a pending contempt application in the Sampa chieftaincy dispute from the High Court in Kumasi to another court outside the Ahafo Region, saying no compelling grounds have been established.

In a letter addressed to Randolph Obah, a self-styled Sampahene, Judicial Secretary Musah Ahmed said His Lordship considered a petition filed on May 18, 2026, and a response submitted by counsel for Nana Samgba Gyafla II on June 8, 2026.

The petition had sought a transfer on grounds of personal safety and a perceived risk of bias arising from the chieftaincy dispute in Sampa.

Mr Ahmed noted that while the Chief Justice has broad administrative powers under Section 104 of the Courts Act, 1993, Act 459, to transfer cases, such discretion requires substantial justification.

He said the current venue in Kumasi is consistent with Order 3 of the High Court Civil Procedure Rules, 2004, C.I. 47, which provides that actions are ordinarily determined where the cause of action arose or where the defendant resides.

The matter, he explained, relates to a chieftaincy dispute rooted in the Ashanti Region, and a transfer without strong cause would undermine procedural propriety.

On the allegations of bias and threats, the Judicial Secretary stated that the concerns were not supported by compelling evidence.

He said the response from the legally recognised Sampahene, Nana Samgba Gyafla II’s counsel, backed by video footage and photographs, indicated that Mr Obah had previously attended court proceedings without any documented incidents of harm.

The Chief Justice therefore found the claim of bias to be based more on personal perception than objective fact.

The letter further said the court in Kumasi has the necessary resources and expertise to hear the case, and a transfer would risk delays and complications.

It added that while allegations of threats are serious, they do not, on their own, outweigh the integrity of the judicial process and the statutory rights of the parties.

Consequently, His Lordship concluded there was no substantive basis to grant the petition.

Mr Ahmed said the Chief Justice emphasised the need to uphold the dignity of the court and ensure proceedings follow established norms and precedents, and encouraged Mr Obah to submit to the jurisdiction of the High Court in Kumasi to contest the action on its merits.

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