Story by: yunus Swalahudeen Wakpenjo
Source: Millennium news
After hours of legal arguments between petitioners and the nine member panel of judges of Ghana’s apex court in the ongoing 2020 election petition, the judges presided over by justice Anin Yeboah, has directed the counsel for the petitioners to provide their witnesses on the morning of Friday the 29th of January 2021 for the substantive hearing of the case before it.
In the original case statement (petition) filed before the court, petitioners indicated their desire to provide five witnesses to buttress their plea. However, on the 28th January, the counsel for the petitioners, Lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata hinted that, they will limit their argument with two witnesses contrary to their initial stance.
Is was a bizarre moment for the petitioners on the 28th of January which marks the 4th sitting since commencement of proceedings, all motions filed on the grounds of law, including application for review filed on the ruling made by the court on the 19th of January 2021, dismissing the petitioner’s prayer to court to interrogate the 1st respondent in the case management proceedings.
In a press briefing held on Thursday morning after the proceedings of the 28th, former attorney general and minister of justice, Marietta Brew Opong Appiah, described as unfair treatment meted out to the petitioner by the Supreme Court.
In her statement, she recounted how it was possible for the 2nd respondent, who was then the petitioner, to have his way during the same election petition in 2013, but becomes unbearable for another petitioner in the same case in 2021. She argued that, all application filed and motions raised in court by petitioner’s counsel were grounded by law. She is therefore surprise why the incessant dismissal of same.
Sittings continue on Friday the 29th of January 2021. Will the wound of petitioners deepen or there will clemency on the side of the nine member panel of judges…….?