The apex court has given John Mahama’s lawyers up to Wednesday 27 January 2021 to file their witness statements else the election petition will be struck out
The Supreme Court has threatened to invoke its powers including throwing out the 2020 election petition by former President John Mahama if the petitioner’s lawyers fail to file their witness statements.
The seven-member panel hearing the election petition has given lawyers of the petitioner (Mahama) by close of Wednesday 27 January 2021 to file their witness statements else it will be compelled to invoke its powers.
Mahama’s lawyers failed to comply with the Supreme Court’s initial orders to file statements of five witnesses on 21 January 2021. Instead, he filed an application seeking to stay proceedings at the Supreme Court until his application for review of the Supreme Court’s decision on an earlier application for interrogatories has been heard.
The first respondent (the EC) filed one witness statement in support of its case. The witness is the EC chair, Jean Mensa. The second respondent, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, by a power of attorney dated 15 January 2021 appointing Peter Mac Manu to testify on his behalf, has also filed one witness statement.
On Tuesday (26 January) the Supreme Court did not take kindly to the petitioner’s disregard to its orders, serving notice it will be compelled to crack the whip if the petitioner returns to court on Thursday without filing his witness statement. The case has been adjourned to Thursday 28 January 2021
