General News of Thursday, 28 January 2021

Source: starrfm.com.gh

Supreme Court not being fair to Mahama – Marietta Brew

Former Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong play videoFormer Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong

The former Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, has described as unfair, the rulings by the Supreme Court panel hearing the Election petition.

Addressing journalists after Thursday’s hearing, Appiah-Oppong who is also a member of the NDC legal team challenging the legitimacy of the 2020 elections said the arbitrary dismissals of their application despite their superior arguments are unfair to the petitioner.

“The rulings coming out are short unlike 2013 when there were detailed rulings…we have to say that the petitioner is not being treated fairly,” Appiah-Oppong said, adding “it is not unfortunate but we have to say it as it is, the petitioner is not being treated fairly…so we disagree with the ruling of the Supreme Court, it's unfortunate but that is their decision so there isn’t much we can do.”

Her comments come after the nine-member review panel of the Supreme Court dismissed a motion moved by lawyers of former president John Mahama seeking leave to file “an additional ground of review” to the review application on the interrogatories.

Mr Mahama and his lawyers per the motion are also seeking leave to “replace paragraph 28 of their original statement of case.

Tsatsu Tsikata who moved the motion made reference to copious authorities and urged the court to oblige and file their request since it will assist the court to make proper determination of the review pending.

Lawyers of the Respondents all opposed to the motion. While the EC lawyer Justin Amenuvor opposed on point of law, lawyers of the 2nd Respondent Akoto Ampaw argued their case out.

The enhanced review panel chaired by Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah, in its short ruling said, the application was premised to invoke inherent jurisdiction of a lead court.



The court said the jurisdiction of the court cannot be invoked in the manner that the applicant was asking the court to do.

The application was subsequently dismissed. The application for a review for the interrogatories was also dismissed.

The panel also includes Justice Yaw Appau, Justice Samuel Marful-Sau, Justice Nene Amegartcher, Justice Prof Nii Ashie Kotey, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, Justice Mariama Owusu.

Justice Amadu Tanko and Justice Harrietta Mensah-Bonsu are the new judges added to the enhanced panel.