Tsatsu Tsikata Apologizes To Jean Mensa In Court

Mr Tsatsu Tsikata on today, Monday apologized to the Chairperson of the first Respondent in the case, Mrs Jean Adukwei Mensa for saying in court that she sunk low. Making a case for their move to subpoena her to testify, Mr Tsatsu Tsikata said in court that  To talk about grievances of being served tea respectfully that is such a lack of truthfulness in terms of how the evidence

came in. Rojo Metle Nunoo did not express a grievance here that they served tea and not biscuits. It was out of question and he answered truthfully. For the chair person to descend into such triviality which was brought on by cross-examination of her own counsel that shows the depth to which she has sunk. It was at this point that the Chief Justice Anin Yeboah came to

say Mr Tsatsu Tsikata the practice is that you lawyers draft affidavit in applications so please don’t let us go that far. Another Justice of the Court also said Beyond that I would advise that you withdraw. Following this, Mr Tsikata said I withdraw the statement about the depth to which she has sunk. I apologize that I used unduly strong language and I apologize to the chairperson of

the first respondent Mr Tsikata told the Supreme Court that he closed the petitioner’s case because he thought the Chairperson of the first Respondent, Mrs Jean Adukwei Mensa will make herself available for cross-examination. He said that the affidavit of the first 1st Respondent indicated that she will testify in the case hence, their earlier decision to close their case for that

to happen. We had the expectation that the chairperson of the 1st Respondent will testify hence the closure of the case. The Chairperson of the 1st Respondent has in affidavit made clear that the petitioner will in no way be prejudiced because the questions that the petitioner sought to have in interrogatories those will be subject matter in cross examination, Mr Tsikata told the court.

Meanwhile, Mrs Adukwei Mensa, has sworn an affidavit, praying Supreme Court to dismiss fresh application filed by petitioner in the election petition case John Dramani Mahama to reopen the case. According to Mrs Mensa, the application is not warranted by any rule of law or procedure and the same should be dismissed by this Honourable Court. She indicated that Mr Mahama’s

application is creating the erroneous impression that this application is made at my behest. The Chair of the Commission explained that at no time had she informed the petitioner nor his lawyers of her desire to testify in the case. Lawyers of Mr Mahama on Thursday, February 11 declared their intention to re-open the case in order to subpoena Mrs Adokwei Mensa as the

Returning Officer of last year’s presidential elections to testify. It followed the unanimous dismissal of an earlier application to force witnesses of both respondents EC and Akufo Addo to appear in the witness box. The respondents had closed their case by voting not to present their witnesses in court. But the petitioner filed the application to get the Chair of the EC, in particular,

to make an appearance in the interest of the public. In her affidavit, calling for the dismissal of the petitioner’s application, Mrs Adokwei Mensa stated, I believe that there are more convenient fora for ventilating the so-called public interest issues and further that this should not form the basis of the Petitioner re-opening his case in a Petition in Court. She expressed surprise how the

petitioner, after closing his case on his own volition, then will come back again to request that the case be re-open. I am advised that even if this Court grants leave for the Petitioner to reopen its case; it ought not cause a subpoena be issued against me because a subpoena is issued with coercive effect. Honourable Court, having held I rightly exercised the option of my right not to testify would be overriding its earlier decision to order that I be compelled to testify.