Petitioners leave the court's premises after hearing
Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com
By William Yaw Owusu
Friday January 11, 2013
The much talked-about case in which the opposition
New Patriotic Party (NPP) is challenging the declaration of John Dramani Mahama
as President by the Electoral Commission (EC) commenced at the Supreme Court in
Accra but with an objection by the NPP about the composition of the bench.
The nine-member panel presided over by Justice
William Atuguba accordingly adjourned proceedings sine die (indefinitely) for
the NPP to file a motion challenging the bench’s composition.
Per the court’s directive, the onus now lies on
the NPP to file the motion as soon as possible to reactivate the whole process.
Objection
The court was due to hear a motion for joinder brought
by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) asking the highest court of the land
to allow them to be part of the matter because they are an interested party,
when the objection was raised by the NPP legal team.
Sources said the NPP objected to Justice Atuguba
sitting on the case because of the connection of his cousin, Dr Raymond Atuguba
with the present government.
Dr Atuguba, who is said to have lived with Justice
Atuguba was recently appointed Executive Secretary to President John Mahama,
the first respondent in the NPP’s petition, and therefore the petitioners think
he should recuse himself in the interest of justice.
As it is now, the court would have to deal with
the NPP objection before the NDC motion for joinder could be moved after which
the main case challenging the validity of President Mahama could also commence.
The refurbished court room popularly called Chief
Justice’s Court was packed with both representatives of the ruling NDC and the
NPP as well as hordes of security operatives, Supreme Court staff, media and
lawyers.
Party sympathisers and others interested in the
high profile case, seen by many as a test case for Ghana’s democracy, were kept
at bay outside the walls of the Supreme Court, since they were not accredited.
As early as 6am, police tanks had surrounded the
court building while National Security operatives screened people accredited to
observe the proceedings.
The petitioners: Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Dr.
Mahamudu Bawumia and Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey were in court while Johnson
Asiedu-Nketia announced himself as representing the NDC.
Kwadwo Sarfo-Kantanka was also in court to
represent the EC.
Panel
Apart from Justice Atuguba, the other panel
members included Justices Julius Ansah, Sophia O. Adinyira, Rose C. Owusu, Jones
Victor Dotse, Anin-Yeboah, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, Sule N. Gbadegbe and Vida
Akoto-Bamfo.
Teams
The NDC who were to move their motion for joinder announced
their presence with Tsatsu Tsikata (lead), Samuel Kpodo and Barbara Serwa
Asamoah as counsel.
Representing the NPP’s petitioners were Philip
Addison (lead), Gloria Akuffo, Frank Davies, Alex Quaynor, Akoto Ampaw, Kwame
Akuffo, Nana Asante Bediatuo, Godfred Yeboah Dame, Egbert Faibile and Professor
Kenneth Attafuah.
Tony Lithur announced himself to the court as
representing President Mahama with Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong and Dr. Abdul
Bassit Aziz Bamba as his back-up while James Quarshie-Idun, Anthony Dadzie and
Stanley Amarteifio representing the EC.
Arguments
When the case was called Philip Addison said
“before we commence, there is a matter that we wish to bring to your attention.
If you would oblige, we would like to approach your Lordships in chambers.”
Mr. Tsikata quickly stood up and vehemently
objected to the petitioner’s request and said the nature of the case is meant
to be heard in public as the rules stipulate.
He said since the NPP was the first to call for
public hearing in the matter, he did not see the reason why they should turn
around to ask that the case be held in camera.
Mr. Lithur associated himself with Mr. Tsikata
saying “this is too serious an issue to be heard in chambers,” and asked the
court to order the petitioners to “give us an idea”.
Mr. Quarshie-Idun on the other hand told the court
that the EC had no issue with the petitioners request and said they were
leaving the matter “entirely in the hands of the court.”
The judges then retired to their chambers for a
few minutes to enable counsel to sort the matter out themselves whether the
request should be handled in chambers or in open court.
The legal teams then came together to confer
whilst the judges were away and when the case resumed Mr. Addison said “we
conferred and decided we should have it in chambers” if the court pleased.
Mr. Tsikata then cited CI 74 Rule 69 C (3) saying the
court should not permit any aspect of the hearing in chambers saying, “having
conferred, we do not believe that this should be heard in chambers. It should
be in open court.”
Mr. Lithur in affirming the NDC’s position said
that “everybody should have a clear view of what is being objected,” but the EC
appeared to have supported the NPP’s position that the objection should be
heard in chambers.”
“We would prefer that the matter be raised in
chambers after that we can hear it in open court if the court decides,” Mr.
Quarshie-Idun prayed the court.
Atuguba’s
Observation
At this point, Justice Atuguba said he had
observation to make.
He said “I am concerned that there should be at
all times a very strong and truly independent judiciary.
He said that “health of the country must be
preserved” and added that “if we don’t have strong judiciary we will be
gambling with the destiny of this country.”
He said if that happens, he would not be part of
it and added “I don’t think my colleagues would also be part of it.”
Justice Atuguba then said that the justices had
decided to hear counsel in chambers and decide whether it was something that
should be heard in open court or kept in chambers.
Before retiring to the chambers, he said “Ghana is
a very solid country but it is breaking down because principles are being
broken down almost to pedestrian level.”
He said that courts are there for the public and
the judges are supposed to be public servants and with the exception that a
matter if gravely confidential, it has to be heard in public.
When the justices returned, Justice Atuguba said that
after conferring with counsel and getting a gist of the case, the petitioners
should file a motion to state their claim.
He said the matter relates to the composition of
the panel and therefore they needed to move a motion for the court to take
decision.
The NPP filed a writ at the Supreme Court claiming
that EC Chairman, Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan on December 10, 2012 called the results
for President Mahama in spite of its claims that the EC needed to investigate
alleged manipulation of figures before the declaration of the results.
Facts of the case
The
NPP’s writ has its presidential candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, running
mate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and NPP Chairman Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey as the
petitioners.
President
Mahama, in his personal capacity as presidential candidate of the National
Democratic Congress (NDC) and the EC, the body that supervised the December
general elections have been cited as respondents in the suit.
The
Petitioners are praying the highest court of the land to declare that “John
Dramani Mahama was not validly elected president of the Republic of Ghana.”
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