General News of Wednesday, 17 April 2013

Source: Joy Online

Ato Dadzie unperturbed by Bawumia’s evidence

A lead counsel for the NDC legal team, Nana Ato Dadzie has echoed sentiments from his camp - they are as comfortable as wearing an old shoe as far as the performance of today’s star witness, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was concerned.

It was an election petition hearing in which the New Patriotic Party’s witness and former vice-presidential candidate, Dr. Bawumia stood in the stand as a key witness to present his evidence.

Visibly, after a five-hour long hearing, Nana Ato Dadzie was eager to present the first and third respondents' side of events to an equally eager but generally lay Ghanaian population.

“Today we have had the opportunity to hear their first principal witness. If this is their case then we are comfortable. We thought they had something substantial. For us the best that he has done is to repeat the allegations they have made all over again”, he announced with a slightly dismissive air.

The case has been divisive, battle lines have been drawn but the lawyer found ample time to cross that line and appeared charitable to Dr. Bawumia.

“Dr. Bawumia is a very honorable statistician who did a good job for his side”, he assessed and then proceeded to weigh in on what he thought of Bawumia’s evidence.

“One thing is very clear from today. There is a vast difference between allegation, particularly things you say outside and what you come to court to prove because they are two distinct things”.

And Nana Ato Dadzie has hinted that he was running out of time to “put him [Dr. Bawumia] to the task”.

The former Chief of Staff said “big thing coming is that he[Dr. Bawumia] would end possibly tomorrow, we expect that as early as possible he will end then real thing will start”.

He served notice of what Dr. Bawumia should expect – nothing but a clinched determination - “to cross examine him vigorously on every single allegation”.

The Supreme Court hearing continues tomorrow.