You can run but you cannot hide – Lawyer warns EC over contempt of court

Legal representatives of a private citizen who successfully secured an injunction at the Accra High Court against the Electoral Commission of Ghana's (EC) limited voter registration exercise remain undeterred by the conduct of EC Chair, Jean Adukwei Mensa.

Lead counsel, Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo, has affirmed their commitment to ensuring that the Commission is served with the latest suit of contempt of court.

This decision follows unsuccessful attempts to serve the EC, as the bailiff was denied entry to the election management body's headquarters on Thursday, September 14.

"As you are aware, the rules of the court require that we should attempt a minimum of three times to serve the person.

"So we have exhausted that minimum requirement today, which now entitles us to go back to the court and inform the court that clearly Madam Jean Mensa and her two deputies are not only evading service but they are obstructing service,” 3news.com quoted lawyer Samoa Addo.

He explained that the commencement document and the injunction had been served to the EC, questioning why the commissioners were evading the subsequent suit.

"They received it. Why is it that for the contempt, because they know what they are doing is illegal, and because they know that if they are served with the contempt, there will be no excuse for them when they are called before the court to explain why they should not be jailed, they are evading the service?

"But we can assure her that she can run but she cannot hide. The rules of the court anticipate such misbehaviour."

The limited voter registration has already begun in all 268 districts as scheduled by the Commission, with an end date of Monday, October 2.b

The original suit aimed to suspend the exercise due to the difficulties it would pose for most first-time voters in accessing district offices for registration.

Plaintiff, Precious Ayitah, for example, argued that her place of residence is about 44.3 kilometers from the EC's district office in Prampram via the Accra-Aflao road, and about 37.3 kilometers via the Akosombo-Accra road.

Lawyer Samoa Addo expressed disappointment in Jean Mensa's actions given her legal background, stating, "It is sad that Madam Jean Mensa is a lawyer and she is behaving the way she is behaving. Nevertheless, we are not deterred at all. We will ensure that she is served."

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