Outspoken General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu-Nketia, for once appears chary about commenting on issues relating to the 2012 Election Petition suit by the Supreme Court, especially after some notable individuals were cited for contempt and sentenced.
According to him, one cannot be justified in expressing one’s view on an issue the Supreme Court finds contemptuous, just as in the case of General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie.
Sir John, as the NPP Chief Scribe is popularly referred to, together with a member of the Young Patriots, the youth-wing of the NPP, Hopeson Adorye, have been asked to appear before the Supreme Court on Wednesday August 14, to answer contempt charges cited against them.
The duo are to defend comments they allegedly made considered as scandalizing the Supreme Court and lowering “its authority and credibility in the eyes of the general public”.
Reached for his comments, General Mosquito, as the NDC Chief Scribe is affectionately called, went quiet as silence. Whiles refusing to justify his colleague General Secretary’s utterances which led to his being summoned by the Supreme Court, a tamed Asiedu Nketiah expressed fear of being cited for contempt saying “I am not a lawyer to talk about this issue”.
He further noted that, “…the little experience I have gained from the Supreme Court is that, if the court says something or there is an issue before them (Judges) and you dare write even a letter to them, you can be cited for contempt.
“…so if the Supreme Court has summoned Sir John, until his (Sir John) case is heard, anyone who comments on the case is likely to be charge for contempt and I don’t want to be a victim,” Asiedu Nketiah said.