Election Petition: SC expunges portions of Asiedu Nketia’s statement

The Supreme Court has expunged portions of the statement submitted in court on behalf of the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia in the ongoing Election Petition hearing.

The paragraphs were taken out of the statement by the apex court upon the demand of the lead counsel for the second respondent in the case (President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo), Akoto Ampaw.

Mr. Ampaw argued that ten paragraphs in Asiedu Nketia’s statement should be taken out because they are “not based on the pleadings of the petitioner, unduly scandalous and prejudicial”.

The ten paragraphs include 6, 7, 21, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 33, and 37.

However, the lead counsel for the petitioner, Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata opposed the objections raised.

Mr. Tsikata, in his objection, insisted that every paragraph in Asiedu Nketia’s statement is “material” to their case.

Subsequently, the Supreme Court in ruling over the objection struck out seven paragraphs out of the ten paragraphs that President Akufo-Addo’s lawyer objected to.

Paragraphs 6,7,25,26,28,30 and 37 had to be deleted from Mr Aseidu Nketia’s statement.

Sitting has been adjourned to Monday, February 1, 2021.