The decision by former Dome-Kwabenya MP Sarah Adwoa Safo to proceed with the funeral of her late father, Apostle Prof. Emeritus Ing. Kwadwo Safo Kantanka, despite an interim injunction, has sparked widespread debate over the legal consequences she could face if the court determines that she deliberately disobeyed its order.
Legal experts say the central issue is no longer simply whether the funeral took place, but whether Adwoa Safo’s actions amounted to contempt of court.
The Accra High Court on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, granted a 10-day interim injunction restraining Adwoa Safo from proceeding with the funeral arrangements pending the determination of a substantive case before the court.
The court was expected to hear the matter within the 10-day period before deciding the next course of action.
However, on Thursday, July 30, Adwoa Safo went ahead with the funeral rites at Gomoa Mpota, after insisting days earlier that the burial would take place “come what may.”
This development has now possibly set the stage for a fresh legal battle.
Secretary to the Safo family, Dr. Philip Siaw, says the family deliberately chose not to disrupt the funeral out of respect for the late Apostle Kwadwo Safo but would instead seek redress through the courts.
“We will not interrupt the funeral, but we will return to court because everyone knows there was an injunction in force,” Dr. Siaw stated.
What is Contempt?
Under Ghanaian law, the alleged breach of a court injunction amounts to civil contempt of court.
If the party that secured the injunction; in this case, members of the Safo family, believes the order has been violated, it may file contempt proceedings asking the High Court to determine whether the order was deliberately disobeyed.
Should the court conclude that Adwoa Safo knowingly breached its injunction, it has broad powers under Order 50 of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2004 (C.I. 47) to impose sanctions.
Possible Sanctions
One of the most severe consequences is imprisonment.
A judge may commit the contemnor to prison for a fixed term or, in certain circumstances, until the person complies with the court’s order or does what the court has directed, in effect, until they correct the very behaviour that landed them in contempt in the first place.
The court may also impose substantial financial penalties or fines as punishment for the disobedience.
In addition, the court has the power to order her assets to be temporarily seized until there is compliance with the directive.
Another likely consequence is an order requiring Adwoa Safo to pay punitive legal costs or cover the expenses incurred by the family that initiated the contempt proceedings.
Contempt must still be proven
Legal practitioners, however, caution that contempt is not automatic simply because an injunction exists.
Before imposing any sanction, the court must be satisfied that the respondent had knowledge of the injunction and wilfully acted in defiance of it. Adwoa Safo would also have the opportunity to respond to the allegations and defend her actions before any punishment, if required, is imposed.
For now, while the first part of the funeral has gone ahead, the legal battle over Apostle Kwadwo Safo Kantanka’s burial appears far from over, with the next chapter likely to unfold in the courtroom.
ALSO READ:
Apostle Safo Kantanka’s children arrive at his funeral in Gomoa Mpota (Video)
