Election Petition: Supreme Court cautions lawyers

The Supreme Court on Monday cautioned some of the lawyers in the 2020 Presidential Election Petition to abide by the ethics of the legal profession.

The Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin Yeboah, at the end of the day’s proceedings called on the lawyers for the parties to be mindful in going into the merits of the trial in their post-trial interviews.

This is the second time the bench, through the Chief Justice has issued a caution to lawyers in the trial.

He said some of those comments were prejudicial and the attention of the bench has been drawn to it.

He said immediately after proceedings counsel from both sides resort to granting interviews to the media, and at times some of them keep on twisting the facts which actually occurred in the court.

He said the bench believe it prejudices what the court proceedings were.

The Chief Justice urged lawyers involved to look at Regulation 55 of Legislative Instrument 2423 of Legal Profession Conduct and Ethical Rules, adding that both parties were guilty.

The Chief Justice cited Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, a Spokesperson for the Petitioner, former President John Dramani Mahama and Mr Yaw Oppong, a member of the legal team of the Second Respondent Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as culpable.

He said Madam Appiah-Oppong “at times, yes makes statements touching on the demeanour of witnesses, so please, it is a passionate plea from the bench, let’s respect the ethical rules".

He said Mr Oppong, was guilty because he was on Joy News' Newsfile programme on Saturday; February 6, 2021, so the bench thought that, since, he was announced in the case it was unacceptable.

After the cross-examination of Robert Joseph Mettle-Nunoo, the third witness for the Petitioner by Mr Akoto Ampaw, Counsel for the Second Respondent and Justin Amenuvor, Counsel for First Respondent, Mr Tsatsu Tsikata informed the court that, they have close their case.

Counsel for the Respondents in the trial, initially indicated to the court that they would call a witness each for which witness statements were filed, but later disclosed that they do not intend to call those witnesses anymore.

The court will on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 listen to the legal arguments from parties and give its ruling.

Initially, the Petitioner through his Counsel informed the court that they intended to call five witnesses but ended up calling three in the persons of Mr John Asiedu Nketia, the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Michael Kpessa-Whyte and Mr Robert Joseph Mettle-Nunoo, all leading members of the NDC.

Former President Mahama has filed a petition at the Supreme Court seeking an annulment of the Presidential Election Results and a re-run of the election between him and Nana Akufo-Addo who is the second Respondent in the petition.

The Petition is also seeking an injunction directing the 1st Respondent, the Electoral Commission to proceed to conduct a second election between the petitioner and the 2nd respondent as candidates, as required under Articles 63 (4) and (5) of the 1992 constitution.

The trial has been adjourned to Tuesday February 9, 2021 for continuation.