The embattled National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, has applied for a stay of proceeding at the court of appeal after two others were dismissed by the Accra high court.

The Accra High court presided over by Justice K Aseidu dismissed an application from lawyer of Mr. Ampofo to stay proceedings, stating that there was no merit in the pleas to warrant a grant.

The accused has since proceeded to the court of appeal and is awaiting the determination of the Court over a ruling of the High Court judge on October 23, 2019.

Lawyers for the accused is praying the appeal court to strike out all charges against his client, an action necessary before they can hear the motion which is set for November 4.

Background

The Chairman was slapped with counts of assault on Public officer and conspiracy to commit crime after a leaked audio purported to be the voice of Mr Ofosu-Ampofo in a meeting with NDC communicators had him saying: “We’re going to take her [Chairperson of the Electoral Commission] to the cleaners.”

“As for the EC Chair, we must wage a relentless war on this EC Chair. Me, she doesn’t want to see my face,” Mr Ofosu-Ampofo is alleged to have said.

In the audio, he also gave his blessing to the party communicators to insult the Most Rev. Professor Emmanuel Asante, the Chairman of the National Peace Council. “For the first time, I’ll endorse insulting the National Peace Council Chair,” he said.

The alleged meeting between Mr Ofosu-Ampofo and NDC communicators was aimed at planning strategies ahead of the 2020 general election.

When the issue of the leaked tape went viral, the NDC described it as concocted and false. A statement signed by Mr Gyamfi and released by the party dismissed the authenticity of the said tape and accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and some members of the government of being the masterminds behind the tape.

The NDC, therefore, urged the public to disregard the said audio, which had gone viral, and “treat all of its content with the contempt it deserves”. Subsequently Mr. Ampofo, after reporting to the CID for investigations was formally arrested and was charged accordingly with a threat of harm, conspiracy to harm a public officer and proceeded to write his statement.