General News of Wednesday, 5 June 2013

Source: TV3 News

Pink sheet report to be delivered in court today

The Supreme Court has scheduled Wednesday, June 5, 2013 to apprise parties embroiled in the election dispute of the outcome of the audit it directed KPMG to undertake.

Announcing the adjournment of Tuesday’s hearing, President of the nine-member panel hearing case, Justice William Atuguba, delivered a rider that he will lay a report from the international accounting firm before the parties before proceedings start on Day 28.

Justice Atuguba observed that he wanted to do it on Tuesday, but finds it more appropriate to deliver it before counsel for respondents and petitioners first thing Wednesday, after which he will take their responses.

Controversy over the number of pink sheets submitted by the petitioners was first raised by Tony Lithur, lead counsel for the first respondent, but caught the attention of the court when Tsatsu Tsikata raised it during his cross-examination of the petitioners’ star witness, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

Mr Tsikata stated that the number of pink sheets given the respondents was far short of the number that the petitioners have.

Whilst the petitioners through Phillip Addison claimed they filed 11,842 pink sheets, Mr Tsikata told the court: “I will not give my figure in the hearing of the witness because that may prejudice my cross-examination.”

Reports suggest KPMG has counted over 13,000 pink sheets.

Meanwhile, Gloria Akuffo, a member of the legal team of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has suggested that the court should resort to its close-circuit cameras to expose any persons who may have been involved in adding up the numbers.