Martin Kpebu details Ace Ankomah, Prof Prempeh, others’ roles in 'Domelevo’s victory'

Martin Kpebu, lead counsel in the case involving some Civil Society Organizations and the government of Ghana over the 'proceed on leave' directive by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to then Auditor-General, Daniel Yao Domelevo has hailed Lawyer Ace Ankomah and the Executive Director of CDD, Prof. Henry K. Prempeh for the massive help they rendered in the close to three years legal battle.

Kpebu's expression of gratitude comes on the back of the Supreme Court ruling terming the actions of President Akufo-Addo as "unconstitutional".

Martin Kpebu also commended Kofi Bentil and the CSOs that took the matter to court and the Supreme Court.

Kpebu added that he was terrified about the outcome of this case as he was contending with the office of the highest gentleman on the land.

“We are extremely grateful to the Supreme Court because this is a very tough case. Really really tough. To be very honest with you, it was a case I was really scared that look, we could lose it. ….This is against the president frontally.

“People have supported this case and number one, you have Professor Prempeh, CDD. You have your client who also knows the law and helping you to write the case. Lawyer Ace Ankomah, you don’t see him much on TV but behind the scenes, a lot of work. …This brief, he was the one whipping me every day, ‘Martin, have you gone to check, is the case coming on? And then contributing ideas and everything in helping to write.

“Kofi Bentil, Dr. Kojo Asante, and then Cory, all of them on the team. And of course, the CSOs that took the initiative to come that we should go to court,” he said on The Keypoints on TV3.

The lawyer also added that his team nearly withdrew the case from the court as people got impatient but they scaled through regardless.

“It was difficult. There were times it was like, let’s go and withdraw the case and I will be like no, let’s wait because people were getting impatient but the supreme court stood tall at the end of the day.

Civil society organisations filed a suit in 2020 arguing that the president's actions undermined the independence of the Auditor-General's office after Mr. Domelevo's forced leave had sparked allegations of attempts to hinder anti-corruption efforts.

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