Politics

Election petition: Akufo-Addo’s legal team to subpoena Mahama to mount the witness box

Friday, February 12, 2021 at 8:55 AM by Mohammed Awal

- According to the president’s legal team, their decision is hinged on what the petitioner’s lawyers do after the court said it cannot force Jean Mensa into the witness box

- The petitioner’s legal team already filed to reopen their case

- The petitioner wants the court to order a second round of the December 7, election

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The legal team of President Nana Akufo-Addo is flirting with the idea of subpoenaing John Mahama to mount the witness box.

A spokesperson for the team, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, disclosed this on Thursday, February 11, 2021.

Election petition: Akufo-Addo’s legal team to subpoena Mahama to mount the witness box — Photo credit: John Dramani Mahama
Source: Facebook

"I have heard conversations by some that if they elect to subpoena the Electoral Commission chairperson maybe we should also elect to subpoena the petitioner…” he said in a post-trial interview.

Tsatsu Tsikata said he would reopen the petitioner’s case to subpoena the EC chair into the witness box for cross-examination.

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The seven-member panel hearing the case said a party to a case cannot be forced to induce evidence.

According to the panel, the respondents have a right not to induce evidence after the petitioner had closed his case.

Jean Mensa was expected to mount the witness box to be cross-examined by the lawyers for the petitioner, John Mahama, in the trial.

But Justin Amenuvor, the lawyer for the EC [second respondent], informed the court that he was not going to call any witnesses, closing his case in the process.

He argued that the three witnesses called by the petitioner had not satisfied the burden of proof when they appeared before the court.

The NDC flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama petitioned the Supreme Court to order a second round of the December 7, election.

According to him, the votes obtained by NPP’s candidate, President Nana Akufo-Addo, and himself in the December 7, election as declared by the EC Chair were not enough for a candidate to be declared the winner.