A tense and memorable exchange between then Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba and former NDC activist Stephen Atubiga during the 2012 presidential election petition has continued to attract attention years after the proceedings ended.

Atubiga had been summoned before the nine-member Supreme Court panel over comments he had made about the court and the possible outcome of the election petition.

As he attempted to explain himself and plead for leniency, Atubiga, deploying what was described as American 'slang', told the court that he was “just a poor boy from Binduri” and came from a poor family.

“I’m just a poor boy from Binduri. I’m not from any fancy family and I come from a very poor home, Your Honour,” he told the court.

But Justice Atuguba was quick to pick up on Atubiga’s use of the slang.

“So you learnt the slangs from your poor family?” the judge asked.

Atubiga then revealed that he had lived in the United States for 14 years.

“Aha, this is what I suspected,” Justice Atuguba responded.

The judge went on to remind Atubiga that in the United States, the law worked irrespective of who a person was.

“Yes, My Lord,” Atubiga replied.

Justice Atuguba then questioned why Atubiga, having lived in the US and experienced a system where the law was expected to apply to everyone, would return to Ghana and put those lessons aside.

The exchange took an even more serious turn when the judge referred to Atubiga’s political ambitions.

Justice Atuguba pointed out that Atubiga had expressed an intention to become a Member of Parliament for Binduri and questioned whether his conduct represented the kind of leadership he intended to bring to the country.

Atubiga, appearing remorseful, apologised to the court.

“I apologise, My Lord, and take full responsibility for my irresponsible actions,” he said.

But the apology did not end the matter.

What landed Atubiga in court?

Atubiga had been summoned after making comments suggesting that the then governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) would disregard the Supreme Court’s verdict if it went against the party.

The comments were made against the backdrop of the closely watched 2012 presidential election petition, which challenged the results of the election won by John Dramani Mahama.

Although Atubiga showed remorse and apologised, the court considered his comments serious and intentionally contemptuous.

He was subsequently found guilty of criminal contempt and sentenced to three days’ imprisonment.

His lawyer, Tsatsu Tsikata, pleaded with the court on his behalf, but Atubiga was eventually taken to the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons to begin his sentence.

He was not the only person punished for comments made during the heated election petition proceedings.

Editor of the Daily Searchlight newspaper, Ken Kuranchie, was also found guilty of criminal contempt and sentenced to 10 days’ imprisonment after the court determined that he had shown insufficient remorse over comments deemed offensive.

A third person, Kwaku Boahen, was discharged after the court found that the comments for which he had been summoned were made before the justices issued what they described as a final warning.

The Atubiga episode, however, remains particularly memorable because of the striking exchange between the activist and Justice Atuguba, from the “poor boy from Binduri” explanation to the judge’s pointed question about where he learnt his “slangs.”

The courtroom moment added drama to an already intense election petition and continues to draw attention whenever footage from the historic proceedings resurfaces.

Watch the video below



MA