Adorye decline comment, as Sir John goes 'underground' over SC invitation

The embattled member of the New Patriotic Party Communication Team, Hopeson Adorye has said he is currently consulting with lawyers over the Supreme Court’s invitation to him so he would not make any public statements on the matter.

He had earlier told Joy News the comments for which he had been invited were made long before the Supreme Court gave its final touchline on contemptuous comments about the ongoing President Election Petition hearing.

But when Adom News reached him he said “I am currently in the meeting with my lawyers over the matter and I have been advised not to talk about it to any media house yet.”

Meanwhile, all attempts to reach the outspoken NPP General Secretary, Lawyer Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, aka Sir John proved futile as his phone kept giving “out of coverage area” response.

Hopeson Adorye and Sir John have been invited by the Supreme Court to answer contempt of court charges.

The two are to appear before the Supreme Court on August 14, 2013 to defend alleged scandalous comments against the court to "lower its authority and credibility in the eyes of the general public".

A summons signed by the Registrar of the Supreme Court, James Mensah, stated that "It having come to the notice of this court as per a publication in the 'Vol. 18 No. 58, Friday 5th July, 2013' issue of the newspaper known as "THE ENQUIRER" under the banner, on the front page thereof, to wit,

"SIR JOHN DESCENDS ON JUSTICE ATUGUBA ...Calls him hypocrite, A joker Who Pampers Tsikata, Scolds Addison and elaborated at page 4 thereof, that you, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie popularly known as "Sir John" did on the 25th day of June, 2013 on a talk show, on Oman Fm, in the Twi language describe the presiding judge of this panel "as a hypocritical joker who pampers the counsel for the National Democratic Congress, Tsatsu Tsikata, but habitually scolds the counsel for the NPP…"

That the said judge habitually "frowned like a voodoo deity." ...That " Do they think we are stupid, you sit there and frown like a voodoo deity, when Addison Is talking you shut him down and beat him with sticks but when it comes to Tsatsu, when he gets angry, you ask him apologetically if he is angry. Tsikata's cross-examination was for how many days, didn't Atuguba and Co see that the questions he was asking were nonsensical?"

That "What hurts me most is that man that you call Atuguba, or Atu ... Atugubu, whoever, you say he is called what?... I mean that judge, that your judge, that judge that you call Atugu... whatever, he oh he. he is funny" ...That -the Supreme Court had prepared mashed yam in palm oil (Eto, an Akan delicacy) and stuffed it with egg for Tsatsu Tsikata to eat."

...That Justice Atuguba by his action, was up to hypocritical antics that is intended to lead to the NPP not getting the opportunity to play a tape recording of Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan's voice declaring that -No Verification, no vote-, so that the President can win the case." ...That "Any final verdict of the Supreme Court, apart from the declaration of Akufo-Addo as winner of the elections ... would amount to stealing…"

That "To the relatives of judges sitting on the election petition, ... If you have a relative who is on the panel go and tell him that you don't want a funeral on your hands, beg him to speak the truth...I know the judges, they will speak the truth, but there is one or two, one particular judge who opens his mouth at any time and the next thing you hear is a warning. I want him to know that he can't intimidate us. I have never heard him warn Mahama…"

That "the whole of Ghana has watched and seen that Justice Atuguba was trying to cheat the NPP, ... and yet he is telling us not to complain."

YOU, KWADWO OWUSU AFRIYIE ARE HEREBY ORDERED to appear before this Court on the 14th day of August, 2013 at 10 o'clock in the forenoon or so soon thereafter as you can be heard to show cause why you should not to be committed to prison for contempt of this court, for thereby:

• Scandalizing the court,

• Lowering the authority and credibility of this court in the eyes of the general public, and • Exciting hatred and ill-will towards the 1st and 2nd respondents herein.

In respect of the Hopeson Adorye, the court said, "It having come to the notice of this court as per a publication in the "VOL. 3 ISSUE #991 Monday 8th July, 2013" of the Newspaper known as "Daily Post" that you HOPESON ADORYE as per a banner on the front page thereof titled "WE SHALL CUT THE HEADS OF NDC SUPPORTERS IF... SUPREME COURT DECLARES PREZ MAHAMA WINNER" and continuing with elaboration at page 4 thereof, did say in an interview with Time FM, Obuasi on the 26th day of June 2013 that "the NPP will ... go on a head cutting spree, cutting off the heads of NDC supporters should the Supreme Court declare President Mahama the winner…"

That "the NPP will not accept the verdict of the Supreme Court if Akufo-Addo is not declared winner since others in the NDC have also said there will be civil war if the Supreme Court rules in favour of Akufo-Addo…"

That "the claim by fellow NPP activist, Samuel Awuku, that the Supreme Court judges were bias and are hypocrites was an appropriate comment for which Awuku should not have apologized".

YOU, HOPESON ADORYE, ARE HEREBY ORDERED to appear before this court on the 14tt day of August at 10 O'clock in the forenoon or so soon thereafter as you can be heard, to show cause why you should not be committed to prison for contempt of court, for thereby:

• Scandalizing the court,

• Defying and lowering the authority of this court and • Exciting prejudice and ill will towards the 1st and 3rd respondents herein."

The Supreme Court panel hearing the presidential election petition challenging the outcome of the December 2012 Presidential elections had course to issue several warnings to persons commenting on the proceedings to do so with circumspection.

Apparently frustrated by the recalcitrance of political commentators, the president of the Court, Justice William Anaam Atuguba issued what he called a final touchline and warned that any individual who made scandalous statements of the court and justices would be held to account.

Two persons who breached the final touchline, the NDC's Stephen Atubiga and the Managing Editor of the Daily Searchlight Newspaper, Ken Kuranchie, were found guilty of criminal contempt and sentenced to three and 10 days' imprisonment respectively.

If found guilty, Messrs Afriyie and Adorye may suffer stiffer punishments.