Election petition: SC to hear Mahama’s motion to reopen case today

The Supreme Court is expected to hear a motion from lawyers of former President John Dramani Mahama in the ongoing election petition trial in their attempt to reopen their case.

The application was premised on the apex court panel of seven chaired by Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah’s ruling that it cannot compel the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs. Jean Mensa to testify before the court in the case.

Following the closure of the Petitioner’s case last Monday, after calling three witnesses, lawyers of the EC and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said they did not intend to call any witnesses despite deposing to witness statements.

The petitioner and his lawyers are challenging the move but the EC and President Akufo-Addo have separately filed affidavits opposing the Petitioner’s motion.

Should the motion filed be granted, it will allow the Petitioner serve a subpoena on the EC Chairperson to mount the witness box and be cross-examined.

Meanwhile, the apex court has directed the parties to simultaneously file their closing addresses by February 17.

The seven-member panel will listen to their oral submissions on the closing addresses and subsequently fix a date on February 18, 2021, for its judgement.