Election petition: Jean Mensa must mount witness box to clear every doubt – Franklin Cudjoe

The debate on whether or not it was right for the Supreme Court, hearing the case of Mahama’s election petition to say the Electoral Commissioner, Jean Mensa was not compelled to testify in the ongoing case is still on.

While some have lauded the Supreme Court for coming up with such an action, others think otherwise.

Among the people who disagree with the Supreme Court ruling is the Founder of Imani Africa, Franklin Cudjoe.

He holds the view that the Electoral Commissioner, Jean Mensa has to mount the witness box to answer questions that will be thrown at her by the lawyer of the petitioner, Lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata.

Franklin Cudjoe opined that this would clear doubts surrounding the outcome of the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.

It will also restore the reputation of both her name and that of the Electoral Commission.

“I would have thought that it would have enriched our development discourse to have the returning officer whose whole construct and being, has been to ensure transparent and fair elections, which in fact is their motto, to clear this doubt. In fact, she should have elected herself to come and just clear the doubt once and for all,” Franklin Cudjoe said on Citi TV’s Point of View show Saturday, February 13, 2021.

“The processes leading to the announcement of the results in spite of the admission of errors themselves were fraught with some kind of misunderstanding and that in itself is the clarity they seek,” he added.

On Thursday, February 11, 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Adukwei Mensa, and Campaign Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in last year’s elections Peter Mac Manu cannot be compelled to mount the witness box to be cross-examined in the ongoing election petition hearing.