General News of Saturday, 10 August 2013

Source: joyonline

My comment was before Atuguba's final warning - Adorye

A member of the New Patriotic Party Communications team who has been summoned together with the party's General Secretary for making contemptuous comments is unhappy with the invitation.

Hopeson Adorye says his 'head cutting' comment, which he claims has been taken out of context, was actually made before the final touchline warning by William Atuguba, Presiding Judge in the presidential election petition.

He was speaking to Joy News' Evans Mensah shortly after the Supreme Court issued the summons for him and his General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, to report before the highest court of the land on August 14.

Adorye was quoted by the Daily Post newspaper as saying that the heads of NDC supporters will be cut if President John Mahama is declared winner of the election petition currently before the Supreme Court.

He said he was reacting to comments by NDC spokespersons who alleged that there will be civil war in Ghana should the NPP be declared winners.

Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie was also alleged to have taken the presiding judge to the cleaners on Oman FM.

The Supreme Court judges issued countless warnings to journalists, social commentators, lawyers and politicians to desist from making contemptuous and prejudicial comments about the case and even proceeded to imprison two culprits- Stephen Atubiga and Ken Kuranchie.

The judges, however, left off the hook, another NDC official who was alleged to have made a similar contemptuous comment because his comments were deemed to have been made before Atuguba issued his final touch line warning to all Ghanaians, including President Mahama, to desist from making contemptuous comments.

Atuguba then hinted of a punitive action against Adorye and Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie but only after they had thoroughly perused the contemptuous comments the two were alleged to have made.

After almost three weeks of enquiry by the judges, Atuguba's gavel has finally landed on the two, culminating in the summons.

In a reaction, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie told Joy News he is unaware of the summons.

He would not comment any further until he has seen the official summons.

His companion, Hopeson Adorye, sought to take refuge in the timing of his comments vis-a-vis the final touchline warning.

He told Joy News his comments were made before Atuguba issued his final warning and accused the Daily Post newspaper of dabbling in mischief.

He said his comments were in reaction to the threats of civil war by NDC officials.