Panel not shielding Jean Mensa, petitioners must pay attention – Oppong-Nkrumah

The Supreme Court is not shielding the Electoral Commission chairperson from mounting the witness box in the election petition case, contrary to claims by spokespersons for the petitioner, John Dramani Mahama.

This was the view of information minister-designate Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah whiles addressing the press after today’s election petition hearing. According to him, the petitioners must pay attention in court and avoid misinterpreting rulings of the justices.

“The court has said this over and over again, and we hope our colleague on the other side will pay attention to what the court is saying. The court has said that you cannot compel her to get into the box. She will elect.

“Indeed your own argument earlier was that she had elected to get into the box and the court after listening to the argument said that no election had taken place. So that argument falls flat on its face,” he added.

The Ofoase-Ayirebi MP further questioned why petitioners were bent on advancing the argument of the court shielding the chairperson of the elections body. He added that no matter what grammar and propaganda they deployed, they cannot by law, compel her to testify.

“Why do you now come and tell the people of Ghana that the Supreme Court is shielding her and preventing her from getting into the box?

“Because she is a party who you have brought to court and the rules are settled from the beginning that you cannot compel her whether you come by subpoena or any other instrument, you cannot compel her.”

The court today dismissed an application by the petitioner to reopen his case in order to subpoena the EC chair, Jean Mensa. They have served a notice of appeal which will be looked at when the court next sits on Thursday, February 18, 2021.