All our objections are justified, grounded in law – Mahama’s lawyer

Lawyers for former president, John Dramani Mahama, have insisted that all objections they have raised before the Supreme Court which is hearing the presidential election petition are justified and grounded in law.

The legal team for the second respondent, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, have repeatedly insisted that the petitioners are by their many objections and applications, seeking to delay the process with legal gymnastics.

Responding to the accusation, a member of Mahama’s legal team and former Attorney General, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong told journalists that the petitioners were acting in line with the law.

In an address after day three of the court hearing, she described the second consecutive rejection of an application from their end as ‘shocking’ and ‘not making sense.’

“Every objection that we have raised is grounded in law and is justified. I am sure you are all witness to the arguments made by lead counsel yesterday. Did those arguments sound like they were just a plot to delay the case? They were grounded in law.

“The fact that the petitioner has interrogatories to serve on the respondents. Now, interrogatories, as is stated, are to aid the trial of the case and indeed if the petitioner who has good grounds for serving interrogatories is denied the opportunity, for us that is a denial of justice.”

According to her, petitioners currently have three applications; review of dismissal to serve interrogatories, application for admission of facts and notice to inspect documents.

On their part, lawyers of the president have explained that in law, the review application by petitioners does not mean a stay of the process. They have lauded orders by the court relative to case management and a January 26 date for start of hearing into the case proper.