Election Petition: Mahama to file witness statements today
The Petitioner in the 2020 Election Petition, John Dramani Mahama, is today, Thursday, January 21, 2021, expected to file witness statements and the accompanying affidavits on his petition at the Supreme Court registry.
The Court on Wednesday gave the order amidst protests from the petitioner’s lawyers who argued that the time was too short for them to file the processes required. Mahama’s lawyer, Tsatsu Tsikata among other things wanted the court to factor what he said were some “outstanding issues” in the timeline but that was not done.
He cited a fresh application filed by his team for a review of the court’s January 19, 2021 ruling on their interrogatories as an example of what should have been factored in the timelines. The Court however insisted that it had to keep to the 42-day schedule set out for adjudicating the election petition. This Tsatsu Tsikata believed was a case of sacrificing justice for speed.
“The timeline that is provided for us to have witness statements does not seem to be justified… I do know about the schedule provided, but I also know that your lordships are here to administer justice and that justice should not be sacrificed for expedition,” Tsatsu Tsikata said in court on Wednesday. But the court did not grant his request.
After filing their witness statements today, the Electoral Commission and Nana Akufo-Addo who are the respondents in the case are expected to also file their responses tomorrow, Friday, January 22, 2021. The Court will begin hearing the substance of the petition on Tuesday, January 26, 2021.
Source: Citinewsroom
