Mahama’s application for interrogatories was meant to save time – Ayine

Spokesperson for the lawyers of the petitioner in the ongoing election petition hearing at the Supreme Court, Dr Dominic Ayine, has said their application for interrogatories which was dismissed by the court was meant to save time.

He explained that if the 1st Respondent in the case, the Electoral Commission (EC), had been allowed to answer the twelve questions they were seeking to ask, it would have helped the case to move faster.

Dr Ayine said on Good Evening Ghana that “Our application for interrogatories was meant to save time. If the EC had been allowed to answer the twelve questions,” it would have helped the case get on faster.

The Supreme Court on January 19 dismissed the application filed by Mr Mahama which demanded that the 1st Respondent- Electoral Commission- answered some questions ahead of the substantive matter.

The court, presided over by Chief Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah in a unanimous decision dismissed the application for interrogatories allowing for the substantive matter to be heard.

Lawyer for the petitioner, Tsatsu Tsikata has, however, asked for a copy of the ruling which he says they require the suggestions made in there.

The petitioners have, however, filed for a review of the court ruling on this matter.

Meanwhile, the court on Tuesday, January 26 ordered the petitioner to file his witness statements and arguments in response to the preliminary objection raised by the respondents latest by Wednesday, January 27.

The court also expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of the petitioner and warned it will take appropriate actions against him if he fails to comply with the order to file the witness statements and arguments by the given deadline.

These actions, the court said could include the dismissal of the petition.

The court ordered during its last sitting on Wednesday, January 20, that all parties file their witness statement by Thursday noon, an order the counsel for the petitioner, Lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata contended was too short a time.

The petitioner had also filed a motion seeking a review of the ruling the court gave on the petitioner’s earlier application for interrogatories, but that motion was not granted.

Between the last sitting and today, the petitioners again filed a motion insisting on a review of the court’s ruling on the interrogatories and also to amend paragraph 28 of the original petition as well as add to it.

The court on Tuesday, January 26, did not grant any of the motions but rather ordered that its earlier orders be complied with. It is worthy to note that the 1st Respondent Electoral Commission of Ghana and the 2nd Respondent Akufo-Addo have filed their witness statements as was ordered by the court on January 20.

Meanwhile, the case has been adjourned to Thursday, January 28.