Madam Ekwam challenges Justice Kpegah

A leading member of the opposition New Patriotic Party, Madam Rosemary Ekwam, has dared the retired Supreme Court Judge, His Lordship Justice Kpegah, to a debate over an allegation that he was influenced by close associates of Mr. Kwame Pianim to rule against her in the case between her and Mr. Kwame Pianim.

Speaking to this paper in an exclusive interview, Madam Rosemary Ekwam said she dragged Mr. Pianim to the Supreme Court in 1996 to challenge his qualification to contest for the flagbearership of the NPP after he (Pianim) had been pardoned by the PNDC for his attempt to overthrow the government of Jerry Rawlings for which he was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment.

According to Madam Rosemary Ekwam, she was of the view that if Mr. Pianim won the NPP primary at the time, the government would use a constitutional provision to disqualify him as a presidential candidate.

She said it was for this reason that she took Mr. Kwame Pianim to the Supreme Court to test the constitutionality of the provision that bars ex-convicts from contesting any election in the country.

She said prior to the commencement of the case, Mr. Kwame Pianim told her he had absolute confidence in Justice Kpegah to rule in his favour.

According to Madam Rosemary Ekwam, she briefed her counsel, Captain (rtd.) Nkrabea Effah Darteh, accordingly.

She said prior to the delivery of judgement, she received intelligence report that she should beef up her security on the day of judgment because she was going to lose the case.

She revealed that on judgement day, a police motor rider emerged in the court room and handed over an envelope to Justice Kpegah.

She said in the full glare of the contesting parties and their sympathisers, Justice Kpegah allegedly tore the envelope open and placed a paper on the judgment he was delivering.

From then on Justice Kpegah could not read his own judgement.

According to Madam Rosemary Ekwam, she lost the case by a slim margin and after the court proceedings, Mr. Kwame Pianim complained to her he had lost confidence in Justice Kpegah.

According to her, counsel for Kwame Pianim, the late Joe Rheindorf, expressed same sentiment about Justice Kpegah.