Election petition: Tsatsu Tsikata shows appreciation to 'truthful' Mac Manu

Tsatsu Tsikata, the lead counsel for John Dramani Mahama in the 2020 election petition, during the hearing on Friday, February 5, 2021, reserved a word of praise for the representative of the first respondent, Peter Mac Manu, for helping him bring some clarity to an issue.

Dr Kpessa-Whyte had, during his cross-examination, maintained that the NDC representatives in the EC’s strong room were deceived by the chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, to leave the room and have a brief meeting with John Mahama, the NDC’s flagbearer.

Lawyer Amenuvor, the counsel for the first respondent- the EC- had sought to discredit this claim of Kpessa-Whyte, insisting that he and Rojo Mettle-Nunoo left the place after realizing that their candidate John Mahama was going to lose the elections.

Lawyer Amenuvor during cross-examination ‘put it to’ Dr Kpessa-Whyte that he and Mettle-Nunoo left the EC office with all their materials.

Kpessa-Whyte was firm on his position that he left his laptop, car and other properties at the premises of the EC.

To prove the truth or otherwise of the claims by the two agents, a video of a statement Mac Manu made during an interview on Metro TVs Good Evening Ghana had to be dug.

This video appears to have given some credibility to the assertions by Kpessa-Whyte and Rojo Mettle-Nunoo and Tsatsu was grateful to Mac Manu for the confirmation.

Arguing why the court should not expunge certain portions of Rojo’s witness statement, Tsatsu Tsikata after quoting some paragraphs of the statement turned to Mac Manu and said, ‘...and my Lord, we have to commend the truthfulness of Mr Mac Manu”.

After lawyers of all three parties took turns to argue out their cases, the seven-member panel struck out some paragraphs of the statement by Mettle-Nunoo.

Akoto Ampaw, who is the lawyer for the second respondent, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, wanted the judges to expunge 20 out of the 23.

The case has been adjourned to Monday, February 8, 2021.