Election Petition: Supreme Court to decide on John Mahama’s application to reopen case today after Jean Mensa’s swerve
- According to Tsatsu Tsikata, the chairperson of the EC needs to be held responsible for the role she played in the 2020 elections
- For him, attempts to shield her from mounting the witness box for cross-examination will embolden public officials to misbehave knowing they will go scot-free
- He further stated that he will ask for a review of the court’s ruling that she cannot be forced into the witness box
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The Supreme Court will today, Monday, February 15, 2021, hear the application by John Mahama’s legal team to reopen the former president’s case in the on-going 2020 election case.
The former president’s lead counsel, Tsatsu Tsikata, informed the court on Friday, February 12, 2021, that he wanted to reopen their case in order to subpoena the chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa into the witness box for cross-examination.
Source: Facebook
Mensa, the returning officer in the disputed 2020 presidential elections was expected to mount the witness box to be cross-examined by the lawyers for the petitioner.
But Justin Amenuvor, the lawyer for the EC, informed the court that he would not call any witnesses.
Tsikata, however, objected. He argued that the EC chair cannot be shielded from cross-examination after signing the witness statement the first respondent put in the trial.
However, delivering the ruling of the seven-member panel hearing the case on Thursday, February 11, 2021, Chief Justice Anin Yeboah said a party to a case cannot be forced to induce evidence.
He further noted the defendant has a right not to induce evidence after the petitioner had closed his case, and that the petitioner “bears the burden of proof.” Reacting to the ruling, Tsikata said without mincing words that he will apply for a review.
Meanwhile, a private legal practitioner, Ace Anan Ankomah opined that the petitioner cannot hang the destiny of his case on what his opponents might or might not do in court.
“If you go to court alleging that something has or has not happened, the burden is on you to provide the evidence,” he stated in an op-ed titled: ‘He Who Alleges Must Prove’.
On other hand, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko advised Tsikata to admit he was outmaneuvered in the ongoing trial.
“Tsatsu should simply admit that he’s been outsmarted!” the leading member of the governing NPP wrote.
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.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
