An Accra High Court has rescinded a bench warrant issued for the arrest of the Director General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and the Head of the Legal and Prosecution Unit of the Ghana Police Service (GPS).

The warrant was rescinded after Superintendent of Police Sylvester Asare, the Head of the Legal and Prosecution Unit, rendered an unqualified apology to the court for failing to appear before it.

Superintendent Asare informed the court that they were made aware of the court’s order after the warrant had been issued and that it was not their intention to disobey the court's orders. He also stated that the vehicle in question had been released.

He further explained that as soon as the Legal and Prosecution Unit heard about the court’s warrant through the media, they got in touch with counsel for the applicant, and the matter was resolved.

The court had issued the arrest warrant on April 15, 2024, after the two officers failed to appear before it.

However, Mr. Abraham Arthur, counsel for the applicant, admitted that the vehicle in question had been released to the applicant and commended the trial judge for her handling of the case.

The trial Judge Justice Lydia Osei- Marfo said “It is hoped that this occurrence would not  happen again,” and rescinded the bench warrant.

The trial judge noted that the respondents had purged themselves of the "contemptuous act" and forgave them, stating that the application was struck out as settled. However, the court warned that it would be compelled to call the Police to order if they did not uphold the rule of law, emphasizing that no one was above the law.

Sureword Global Outreach, a subsidiary company, stated in an affidavit that on November 14, 2023, a customer named Noagbe Julius approached Sure Rental to rent one of its vehicles for a day. Sure Rental agreed to rent a Toyota Fortuner with registration number GN 2925-20 and filled out the rental form for the customer.

Later that day, a police officer reported to Sure Rental that Noagbe Julius had allegedly used the rented vehicle to convey substances suspected to be illicit drugs and had been apprehended and detained at the CID headquarters. The CID then impounded the vehicle without any justification.

Sure Rental argued that as a rental company, they did not control the activities of customers who had rented their vehicles and therefore could not be held liable for acts committed by such clients. They also argued that the continuous detention of the vehicle was without basis and unlawful, as the vehicle had not committed any crime and was not needed as evidence in court.

Sure Rental prayed to the court to order the release of the vehicle for the effective running of their business.