In a current contempt case, the Tema High Court has fined socialite Valentina Nana Agyeiwaa, well known as Afia Schwarzenegger, ¢60,000 (5,000 punishment units).
The socialite was also fined ¢5000 by the court for uttering derogatory remarks about Chairman Wontumi. On December 1, 2022, Afia Schwarzenegger received a 10-day prison term for contempt of court. On the day of the announcement, Afia Schwarzenegger, however, was not there.
She appeared on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, with the assistance of Adrian Duke Amaning, who moved a motion on notice for a sentence adjustment.
Coming under Order 50 Rule 4(1) and Rule 5 of the High Court (Civil Procedures) Rules which deal with the suspension of an order and discharge of a person committed, respectively, he prayed the court to suspend the sentence.
Order 50 Rule 4(1) states that the court, which makes an order of committal, may by an order direct that the execution of the order of committal shall be suspended for such period or on such other terms and conditions as it may specify, while Rule 5 (1) states that the court may, on the application of any person committed to prison for contempt of court, discharge the person.
Mr Amaning further indicated that his client had shown remorse and had since published her apology to the court. The court presided over by Justice Emmanuel Ankamah at its sitting on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, granted the application of the convict and substituted the jail sentence to 5000 penalty units.
The court further ordered her to sign a bond of good behaviour for 36 months. She was also ordered not to comment on the case on any platform during the pendency of the bond. The court directed that any breach of the orders will warrant her being hauled back to the court.
The court said considering the fact that the applicant has apologised and shown remorse, she deserves a second chance.
Recall that a High Court in Tema, on Thursday, December 1, 2022, fined Fadda Dickson Narh, Felicity Nana Ama Agyeman aka Empress Nana Ama Mcbrown, Valentina Nana Agyeiwaa, alias Afia Schwarzenegger, Kwame Asare Obeng, alias Kwame A Plus and Emmanuel Barnes alias Mr Logic who have had issues with the law, based on a panel discussion held on United , a television entertainment discussion programme on UTV.
She was supposed to spend 10 days in prison when arrested while the others were slapped with a ¢60,000 fine each.
Information from GraphicOnline was added to this report.
