NDC Counsel: Count of pink sheets should be done in open court or...

Lawyer Abraham Amaliba, a member of the legal team of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), prefers the head count of the number of boxes of pink sheets at the Supreme Court Registry to be done in an open court.

According to him, his side deems the process “compromised” and so, will not go along with it unless the process is displayed in the full glare of the court.

Speaking to Radio Gold, Lawyer Amaliba explained the circumstances that led to the increased number of boxes containing the pink sheets.

He narrated that last Thursday, representatives from all the parties involved in the election case took inventory of the boxes and was aware of the number until Monday when they realized some changes.

The Judicial Secretary, he said, was informed of the sudden changes, and an order was made for the suspension of the audit.

He recounted that on Monday, “when the auditing begun, our representative at the counting discovered that some new boxes have been introduced. It was on this basis that he rushed to lawyers and to lay a complaint. What we did was to go to Judicial Secretary and Deputy and then lodge a complaint which we did lodge. And the Judicial Secretary ordered for the suspension of the count.”

Though his party will not pull out of the process, he feels the auditing has been compromised and as a result, his side will “take a strong position unless something new comes up which would make the process transparent, but until then we feel this process, now, has been compromised, and we do not think that we would want to go along.”

However, the Supreme Court yesterday upheld an objection against an oral application by Counsel for the third respondent, Tsatsu Tsikata for stricter administration in the auditing of the pink sheets.

Justice William Atuguba, presiding over the court proceedings, said in his ruling that “concerns raised by respondents can be put before the referee - KPMG”.