Dominic Ayine’s best man, EC’s lawyer stormed court to support him in contempt case
- Dr. Dominic Ayine was cited for contempt for making some disparaging comments against the Supreme Court
- He stated already that he would not be surprised if he was punished for his comment
- That notwithstanding, he said he did not mean to intentionally disparage the bench
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Justin Amenuvor, the lead counsel for the Electoral Commission (EC), the 1st Respondent, in the election petition trial was in court on Thursday to solidarise with Dr. Dominic Ayine, a member of the legal team of former President John Mahama, who was cited for contempt by the Supreme Court.
“I came to support my roommate, best man, and my best friend,” Amenuvor told the court when asked about his presence in court.
“I am not appearing as Counsel but as a friend of Dominic Ayine and a best man at his wedding,” he added.
The Supreme Court discharged the former Deputy Attorney General in connection with the “contemptuous” comments he made about the apex court.
Dr. Ayine was cited for contempt for saying in one of his post-trial interviews that the court had a “predetermined agenda” to rule against former president John Dramani Mahama.
He was hauled before the court on February 22 for the scandalous comment. The court ordered him to go and apologise.
Dr. Ayine rendered an unconditional apology on the same day, admitting that he went overboard and was reckless with respect to the “remarks that I made.”
The court discharged him after it met today, Thursday, February 25, having been satisfied with the apology the Deputy Attorney General rendered.
“We want to strike out having apologized and purge yourself from contempt,” The Chief Justice, Justice Anin Yeboah stated.
Meanwhile, Lawyers for the EC led by Amenuvor said Mahama’s decision to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential over “an innocuous” error was unfortunate.
They insisted in their closing address that the error “had no bearing on the outcome of the election results."
That notwithstanding, they continued that the former president led no evidence whatsoever to challenge the election results and for that matter, the declaration made by the chairperson of the EC.
As a result, the Amenuvor led team asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the petition.
Mahama, the flagbearer of the NDC in the 2020 elections petitioned the apex court, praying it annuls the results declared by the chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa.
President Nana Akufo-Addo defeated him in the elections to secure another four-year term. He had 51.302% of the votes cast against the latter’s 47.359%.
The votes difference between the two candidates stood at 517, 231, representing a four percentage point, one of the highest since 1996.
The Supreme Court will deliver its judgment on the petition on March 4, 2021.
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Source: YEN.com.gh