Jean Mensa can’t use 'human rights' to dodge witness box – NDC lawyer

Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, must mount the witness box to testify in the election petition case being heard by the Supreme Court.

Former Attorney General and a spokesperson for the NDC, Marrieta Brew Appiah-Oppong told the media yesterday that the EC chair was obliged to respond to petitioners and that a move to ‘evade’ testifying could not be classed as a human rights issue.

She was specifically referring to a question in court by one of the female justices as to whether the EC did not have the right to submit that they had no witness to support their case. The EC chairperson was widely expected to mount the witness box this week.

“The issue was raised whether it is a human rights issue, this is the EC chair, a body created by the constitution which has an obligation to account to us.

“The EC cannot hide under human rights to say that can’t respond to us. So I disagree with her ladyship, that it is not a human rights issue. It is not a human rights issue, they are obliged,” Appiah-Oppong stressed after today’s sitting was adjourned.

Lawyer Justin Amenuvor of the EC told the court yesterday that they did not want to call any witness, a position advanced by the second respondent’s lawyers.

Tsatsu Tsikata, lawyer for the petitioner, however, argued that there was reason for the EC chair to be cross-examined. The court will hear oral arguments today and rule on the issue of whether or not the EC chair will have to testify.