The Supreme Court has, by a 4-1 majority decision, revoked a bench warrant issued for the arrest of the US-based Ghanaian broadcaster, Kevin Taylor.
Presiding over the case, Justice Tanko made the declaration on Tuesday, July 22, when Mr. Taylor appeared before the five-member panel.
Other members of the panel included Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu, who dissented, Justice Senyo Dzamefe; Justice Suurbaareh, and Justice Philip Bright Mensah.
The warrant was issued by a High Court in 2020 over alleged contemptuous comments the broadcaster made against Justice Eric Kyei Baffour.
However, the apex court ruled that the warrant was unlawful and should not have been issued under the circumstances.
The ruling marks the conclusion of a five-year legal battle triggered by Taylor’s critical remarks about a case overseen by Justice Kyei Baffour.
The Accra High Court in January 2020 issued a bench warrant for the arrest of social media commentator Kevin Ebo Taylor.
The warrant, issued on Thursday, January 16, 2020, by Justice Eric Kyei-Baffour directed Taylor to appear before the court and explain why he should not be jailed for contempt.
This followed a video he circulated on Facebook, which the court deemed offensive and injurious to the administration of justice.
Justice Kyei-Baffour issued the order ahead of the cross-examination of Eugene Baffour-Bonnie, a former Board Chairman of the National Communications Authority (NCA) and one of five individuals standing trial for allegedly embezzling $4 million from the NCA.
In the video, Taylor accused Justice Kyei-Baffour of being elevated to the Court of Appeal as a reward for allegedly doing the government’s bidding in the ongoing trial.
Delivering his ruling, Justice Kyei-Baffour described Taylor’s comments as scandalous and a direct attack on the judiciary, intended to incite public disaffection toward the court.