Mahama's lawyers have presented no case for Jean Mensa to testify - Oppong Nkrumah

A spokesperson for President Akufo-Addo in the 2020 Election Petition, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah says the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission won't testify in the ongoing election petition.

According to him, the petitioners have not presented a strong case to compel Jean Mensa to mount the witness box.

In an address to the media after the court's sitting yesterday, he accused the petitioners of employing propaganda tactics in the case.

“This is not [a] budget hearing of parliament that the EC must come and justify its budget. You have come to court with a specific petition and the onus of proof is on you to show to the court that this is the basic case that someone needs questions to answer,” Oppong Nkrumah said.

He added, “You cannot resort to propaganda answers that it’s in the interest of all Ghanaians” for the EC chair to mount the witness box when there is no clear reason for her to do so

Oppong Nkrumah recalling the events of the 2013 Election Petition, said the then EC boss, Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, was obliged to be cross-examined because the Petitioners made a substantive case and produced evidence which required answers to some of the gaps in the elections.

“In the 2013 Election Petition, the Electoral Commission mounted the witness box because the Petitioner came to court with results of about 11 polling stations, pink sheets, to back same which are all infractions and strike them out. The Petitioner in 2013 mounted the witness box to make his case and that the EC had a case to respond to,” the Spokesperson for Akufo-Addo’s legal team argued.

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Yesterday, February 9, 2021, lawyers for the President, Nana Akufo-Addo and the Electoral Commission (EC) told the Supreme Court that they will not present any witnesses in the case ongoing election petition case.

This came after the conclusion of the cross-examination of the petitioner, John Mahama’s 3rd witness, Rojo Mettle Nunoo.

The defence lawyers were consequently expected to open their defence by announcing their witnesses.

They, however, unexpectedly announced that they will not call any witness.

Lead counsel for the EC, Mr Justin Amenuvor, told the apex court that his client, (EC), which is the first respondent has decided not to adduced any evidence and therefore the court should decide the petition filed by Former President John Dramani on its merit.

“It is our case that we would not wish to lead any further evidence, and therefore we are praying that this matter proceeds under order 36 rule 43 and C.I. 87 rule 3 (5) and we hereby on that basis, close our case.”

Lead counsel for President Nana Akufo-Addo, Akoto Ampaw also made a similar request.

Akoto Ampaw argued that the petitioner has not been able to make a solid case in court hence such decision.