Atuguba sometimes too emotional – Petitioners' counsel

Acting Spokesperson of the petitioners in the landmark election suit, Anthony Akoto Ampaw, has thrown his support for the action of the country’s Supreme Court to “deal” with foulmouthed politicians.

“There is absolutely no justification for the statements the two made,” he said of the comments attributed to New Patriotic Party (NPP) General Secretary Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie and member Hopeson Adorye, for which they were summoned by the Court.

“[But] the presiding judge sometimes appeared to be too emotional,” Mr Akoto Ampaw noted on TV3’s weekend news analysis programme Headlines on Saturday, August 17, 2013.

Justice William Atuguba, in pronouncing judgment on Mr Owusu Afriyie –populalry known as Sir John – and Mr Adorye, questioned the source of powers with which politicians talked to the extent of running down some key arms of government in the country.

Justice Atuguba accused these politicians of engaging in “illegal political galamsey”.

“We have to watch these things for the sake of security of this country for which the constitution has given powers to everybody,” Justice Atuguba stated.

“How many people are they? How many people run for elections in this country that sometimes when these things are coming everybody is panicking? We have the mandate here and if we don’t exercise our mandate properly we will not be doing our work well. We will be letting the state down. That’s our concern. [Why] should 24 million people be taken for granted, for a ride?”

Mr Akoto Ampaw could not agree with Justice Atuguba more, though.

“I believe the president of the panel said it all…that in fighting for power, we all go according to the rules of the game. I think he couldn’t have said that any better.”

He pointed out, again, that the warning by the Supreme Court justice does not only go to politicians.

“It goes to everybody. Nobody is above the law. Everybody is equal before the law,” he noted.

“Equality of people before the law is a cardinal principle of our democracy.” The Court issued a “touchline” and a further “final touchline” following public comments over its proceedings.

So far, with just a sitting to the end of the petition, five persons have openly faced the wrath of the Court. While one was handed expulsion from the Court, two were sentenced to prison terms while two have received fines.

The contemnors include Samuel Awuku, a Deputy Communications Director of the NPP, Stephen Atubiga, a communications representative of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Ken Kuranchie, a news editor for the Daily Searchlight.