Bring your mind to the court – Atuguba directs Bawumia

President of the panel of judges in the ongoing election petition hearing on Wednesday ordered the key witness for the petitioners, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to bring his mind to court.

Dr Bawumia was answering a question posed to him by counsel for the third respondent, Tsatsu Tsikata whether he (Dr Bawumia) was aware that Mr Owusu Afriyie, General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had asked supporters to celebrate an NPP-win even before final results were declared.

In answering the question, Dr Bawumia sought to offer additional information. However, Justice Atuguba was least impressed by the circumlocution of the Petitioners' witness.

He then cut in sharply saying, “You see you are a doctor, you are very intelligent…so help us. This case, let me tell you, people are approaching from two fronts: the political front and the issues here. We are dealing with only the issues here, so bring your mind to the courtroom”.

“Let us get at the facts of the matter and ascertain the truth and declare it,” he added.

Counsel for the Petitioners, Mr Philip Addison, who was not enthused by Justice Atuguba’s intervention then stood up to protest.

In Mr Addison’s view, “it is becoming difficult for the witness to be answering questions the way [the Judges] were finding problems with every answer the witness gives”.

Justice Atuguba retorted “because it has come to a stage when we think we have to control these things”.

Addison tried to explain the rationale behind Bawumia’s answering style, but he was also ordered by Justice Atuguba to “sit down”.