‘I trust Kpessa-Whyte totally’ – Franklin Cudjoe

Franklin Cudjoe, the founding President of IMANI Africa, has said he trusts Dr Michael Kpessa-Whyte, the second witness of petitioner John Dramani Mahama, in the ongoing Election Petition hearing at the Supreme Court.

Kpessa-Whyte says Jean Mensa, the Chairperson of the 1st Respondent, Electoral Commission, asked him [Kpessa-Whyte] and Rojo Mettle-Nunoo to go and consult the petitioner before the declaration of the December 7, 2020, elections.

Franklin Cudjoe referenced, for his basis, the recent situation whereby the Electoral Commission of Ghana through its Chairperson, Jean Mensa, told the people of Santrofi, Akpafu, Likpe and Lolobi (SALL) that they would vote both in the presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7, 2020, but they were disenfranchised on the eve of the elections via an administrative fiat of the EC.

“I trust Dr Kpessa-Whyte totally on being asked by the EC to go and consult the petitioner,” adding that “It was the same way the EC told SALL they will vote only to disenfranchise them the day before the elections,” Franklin Cudjoe wrote in a post on his Facebook timeline.

Dr Michael Kpessa-Whyte, the second witness for John Mahama in the on-going election petition hearing, told the Supreme Court on Tuesday, February 2, 2021, that Jean Mensa instructed him and Rojo Mettle Nunoo to leave the Commission’s strongroom to go and confer with John Mahama on some election-related issues and return before the declaration of the presidential results.

Dr Kpessa-Whyte, while being cross-examined by the Electoral Commission’s counsel, Justin Amenuvor, said that it cannot be said that his narrative of the happenings on the night of the declaration of the results was a concoction.

“I have no reason for lying. When we were leaving the room, I informed in the open room to the hearing of everybody that we were instructed by the Chairperson of the EC to go and consult with our flagbearer who is the petitioner on the basis of our observations and, therefore, she was going to make sure that she sends a rider to bring us back to the Strong Room because of the potential of traffic then. Therefore, when we finish the process, then the results will be announced,” narrated Kpessa-Whyte.

Justin Amenuvor in his cross-examination sought to prove that Mr Kpessa-Whyte and Rojo Mettle Nunoo were never instructed by Jean Mensa to leave the EC strongroom but rather left on their own volition.

From the witness, he confirmed that Dr Kpessa-Whyte did not personally hear from the EC Chairperson but got the information from Rojo Mettle Nunoo who rather spoke with the Chairperson of the EC.

Dr Kpessa-Whyte added in his testimony that they left their laptops in the EC strong room and moved in one car to John Mahama’s residence only to return after 40 minutes to meet the strongroom deserted with the election results already declared.

“On the basis of this, when we were leaving the place, we left our laptops. We left in only one vehicle. I left my vehicle in the premises of the Electoral Commission. Why would we leave our laptops and our working tools in the place if we were actually not instructed to go? Indeed, we returned to the place in about 45 minutes to one hour only to [see] the strong room completely deserted and everything packed out,” Kpessa-Whyte said.