General News of Tuesday, 13 August 2013

Source: Joy Online

Go with your lawyers; Arthur K counsels Sir John

A leading member of the New Patriotic Party is advising the General Secretary Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, to be firm when he appears before the Supreme Court on charges of contempt.

Arthur Kennedy says Sir John, as he is affectionately called, must not appear before the court with empty apologies.

"Don't give an apology just for the sake of an apology," he told Citi FM on Tuesday in an interview.

Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie has been summoned to appear before the Supreme Court together with a member of the NPP communications team member, Hopeson Adorye both of whom have been found to have made contemptuous comments.

Ahead of their appearance, the party's women's wing has been organising night vigils in prayer and in solidarity of the two persons.

Others have also been counselling the two on the strategy to use when they appear before the Court on Wednesday.

Suspended party member, Charles Wereko-Brobby has suggested that Sir John must sing the chorus of apologies when he appears before the Supreme Court because his comments against the Presiding Judge, which culminated in the summons, were disgusting and appalling.

The call for apologies may not be out of place because Sammy Awuku and Stephen Atubiga both of whom were summoned for similar charges were dealt leniently by the nine justices hearing the election petition.

On the contrary, Ken Kuranchie who sought to defend his position and took with him three lawyers to the Supreme Court was handed a relatively stiffer penalty.

The circumstances notwithstanding, Arthur Kennedy said his party's General Secretary must not go kneeling before the justices on Wednesday.

He said Sir John must appear with "strong legal representation" to argue his case out.

Kennedy was not happy with how the Ken Kuranchie and Atubiga cases were handled by the justices.

He said as a lawyer, the NPP General Secretary must go in there fully prepared to argue his case out.