Dr. Dominic Ayine, one of the spokespersons for the petitioner in the ongoing election petition has questioned why the Supreme Court keeps treating Jean Mensah, the chairperson of the Electoral Commission like she is a private citizen.
Addressing the media after the apex court had ruled dismissing the petitioner’s application to re-open his case, the spokesperson for the petitioner said the court’s ruling has done Ghanaians a disservice and is unhelpful to Ghanaians.
“We think that the court by this decision has not done Ghanaians a great service. The justices have not given us a reason to believe that they want Ghanaians to know the truth about what happened in the election even though the figures keep changing till date. Why does the court treat her (Jean Mensa) like a private citizen,” he explained.
The panel of seven justices hearing the case and Chaired by Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah ruled that they find no merit in the application filed by the petitioner and for that matter dismissing it and proceeding with the ongoing case without any hesitation.
The apex court on Monday, 15th February 2021 heard arguments from lawyers of the petitioner seeking to reopen its case and on the other hand were lawyers for the 1st respondent and the 2nd respondents who strongly opposed the application.
Lead counsel for the 1st Respondent (Electoral Commission) Justine Amenuvor had intimated to the Justices of the Supreme Court that the decision by John Mahama to reopen his case was an abuse of court processes.
Akoto Ampaw, counsel for President Akufo-Addo, argued that the leave sought by the petitioner was against legal processes for proof of burden.
“This is an attempt to call for further evidence, and he must be held to the rule on the condition to be met in order to adduce further evidence”.
When asked by one of the justices hearing the case, Justice Gertrude Torkornor, to clarify to the court whose capacity the witness will be coming to Court, the petitioner’s lawyer, Tsatsu Tsikata argued that he wanted to call Jean Mensa, the EC Chairperson, an “adverse witness” per the prescription of the Common Law.
