General News of Saturday, 3 February 2018
Source: dailyguideafrica.com
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Charlotte Osei, has reportedly asked for more time to enable her to file her witness’ statement before the Committee set up by the Chief Justice to investigate her alongside her two deputies for abuse of office and conflict of interest.
According to sources, the time given by the five-member committee chaired by Justice A.A. Benin of the Supreme Court to both the petitioners and the respondents to file their documents had elapsed.
Sources said Mrs. Osei was to submit her statement on January 23, 2018, but upon receipt of a letter indicating that a prima facie case had been established for the investigation to go on, she needed to amend parts of her witness’ statement to ensure that she was able to respond to the issues appropriately and in proper context; and therefore, requested for more time per a letter written on January 24, 2018.
She was said to have finally submitted it on Thursday, February 1, 2018 – a week after the initial date.
It is unclear if the two other deputy commissioners – Amadu Sulley (in-charge of Operations) and Mrs. Georgina Opoku-Amankwa (in-charge of Corporate Services) had filed their statements; but the petitioners have reportedly filed theirs.
Daily Guide learnt that the petitioners were given up to sometime mid-January to file their statements and the respondents were given up to January 23 to do so.
The sources said the committee is expected to use about a week after the filing of the witness’ statements to do its preliminary assessment before official commencement of the hearing.