The President of Ghana Christian University College, Rev Dr James Yamoah, has been sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment for contempt of court by the Adenta High Court in a case connected to allegations that unqualified students were admitted and graduated into Ghana’s health sector.
The custodial sentence was handed down on 11 June 2026 following a contempt application filed by plaintiff Josephine Sackey through her lawyer, Justice Abdulai of Crown Legal Bureau.
Contempt ruling linked to ongoing university lawsuit
The contempt proceedings stem from an ongoing lawsuit involving Josephine Sackey, Ghana Christian University College and the University for Development Studies (UDS).
At the heart of the substantive case are allegations that students who did not meet the required qualifications were admitted and later graduated into Ghana’s health sector, raising concerns over academic standards and professional integrity.
Reports say that while the matter remained before the court, Rev Dr Yamoah dismissed a lecturer who had taken action against the university in relation to the allegations.
Court says dismissal interfered with judicial process
The Adenta High Court found that the dismissal was carried out despite the pending proceedings before the court.
It ruled that the action was prejudicial to the ongoing case and amounted to interference with the judicial process, constituting contempt of court and a disregard for the authority of the High Court.
Based on those findings, the court convicted Rev Dr Yamoah of contempt and imposed a 14-day custodial sentence.
Plaintiff argued punishment would reinforce respect for the law
The contempt application argued that imposing punishment would serve as a deterrent against similar conduct and reinforce respect for Ghana’s justice delivery system and the rule of law.
The substantive lawsuit concerning the alleged admission and graduation of unqualified students remains before the court and is expected to continue through the legal process.
Background
Contempt of court proceedings are designed to protect the integrity of judicial processes and ensure that parties do not take actions that could undermine ongoing cases or the authority of the courts.
The latest ruling has drawn attention because it comes in the context of broader allegations involving standards in tertiary education and Ghana’s health sector, issues that could have significant public interest and regulatory implications depending on the outcome of the substantive case.
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