I am also an ‘Akpeteshie’ distiller - Asiedu Nketia tells Chief Justice

General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketia yet again, brought humor into the Supreme Court despite the gravity of the ongoing election petition hearing.

Mr Asiedu Nketia, who took the stand as one of two witnesses presented by the Petitioner [John Dramani Mahama], in an attempt to respond to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, sarcastically added to his job description, that he was distiller of local gin ‘Akpeteshie’.

While under cross examination, Mr Asiedu Nketia was cautioned by the Justices of the apex court over some utterances he made.

Below is an excerpt of what transpired in Court on February 1, 2021:

Lawyer Akoto Ampaw [Counsel for Akufo-Addo]: "Have you produced any evidence to the contrary that the second respondent [Nana Akufo-Addo] did not cross the 50 percent threshold to be declared the winner of the presidential elections?"

Asiedu Nketia: "My Lord, I indicated that we are here with the figures as declared by the first respondent [Jean Mensa] and we are questioning the integrity and the internal consistencies of the first respondent."

Lawyer Akoto Ampaw: "You have not answered my question, I am saying have you produced any contrary evidence of the total number of valid votes that the second respondent obtained showing that he obtained votes below the required 50 percent threshold?"

Asiedu Nketia: “[Raises both hands in despair] My Lord, those figures are not available from the declaration by the first respondent [Jean Mensa] and we are not here to bring figures because we the [NDC] do not have a constitutional duty to declare results of the elections.”

Lawyer Akoto Ampaw: “Very well…so you can come to the Court to challenge the validity of the results of the presidential elections without any of what the actual results were?”

Asiedu Nketia: “My Lord, if I know that two plus two is four and I am presented with results that …"

Chief Justice Annin Yeboah: “Mr Asiedu Nketia, excuse me, excuse me, please answer the question, at times you try to be a bit sarcastic and that is not done in the Court room. Yes, mangoes minus whatever whatever, you don’t do this under cross examination!”

Asiedu Nketia: "The Palm wine tappers will learn… I am saying that the Palm wine tappers are trying to catch up with Court procedures."

Chief Justice Annin Yeboah: “You are a teacher, a banker, a politician of the one largest political parties”

Aseidu Nketia: “Yes, a teacher, a banker, politician, palm wine tapper, block maker and a distiller of ‘Akpeteshie’”

His response was however met with some laughter in the apex court but a straight-faced Lawyer Ampaw continued his cross-examination of the witness.

The case has since been adjourned to February 2, 2021.

John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress has pointed that both candidates of the 2020 presidential elections did not obtain 50 percent of valid votes as required, to be declared the winner and therefore filed a petition to the apex court seeking a re-run of the elections.