‘Akufo-Addo asked Jean Mensa not to mount witness box’ - NDC Communicator alleges

A communication team member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Mawuli Nanegbe is alleging that President Akufo-Addo influenced Jean Mensa not to mount the witness box and testify in the ongoing election petition.

He said it was obvious that the court was going to take that position even after lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata had raised superior legal arguments.

He said the EC boss is running from accounting to Ghanaians.

He wondered why the EC boss will fail to mount the box if she organised credible and transparent polls.

The Supreme Court in a unanimous decision on Thursday upheld the application by the 1st and 2nd Respondents not to call any witnesses in the ongoing election petition hearing.

The Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin-Yeboah in reading the ruling of the court said submitting a witness statement does not constitute evidence until the witness enters the box and takes the oath to indicate reliance on it.

He added that the depositions in an affidavit in opposition to interrogatories cannot make respondent compellable.

He further indicated that the provision in the constitution or statute has been pointed out to show the EC chairperson is subject to different rules contrary to settled rules of procedure and settled practice.

Reacting to this, Mawuli Nanegbe said he felt disappointed that the EC chair has been left without accounting for her constitutional duties.

When his attention was drawn to the point that the President could not have engaged in such an act, the NDC communicator maintained he will blame Nana Addo for what has happened.