Election 2020 Petition: Supreme Court Grants Mahama’s Application To Correct Errors
A seven member Supreme Court panel presided over by the Chief Justice, Anin Yeboah, has granted an application by former President John Dramani Mahama (the Petitioner) to correct errors he made in his 30th of December 2020 petition he filed at the Apex Court challenging the results of the 7th December 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
The Supreme Court panel which included Justices Yaw Appau, Samuel Marful-Sau, Nene Amegatcher, Nii Ashie Kotey, Gertrude Torkornoo and Mariama Owusu, when they were properly constituted indicated that due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, they will limit the number of lawyers per party in the matter to four (4). After the lawyers of the parties (The Petitioner, Electoral Commission (EC) and President Akufo-Addo) introduced themselves, lead Counsel for the Petitioner, Tsastsu Tsikata, attempted to move his first motion seeking live telecast of the entire election petition hearing. The Court interrupted him and indicated that the arrangement for a live telecast has already been done and so the motion was mute.
Mr. Tsastsu Tsikata, proceeded per the direction of the Court to move his second motion for the amendment of the errors on their petition.
Lawyer for the 1st Respondent (EC), Justin Amenuvor and for the 2nd Respondent (President Akufo-Addo), Lawyer Akoto Ampaw both opposed the application on the grounds that the rules do not permit the petitioner to make any correction to the petition as filed.
The Supreme Court after rising for about 10 minutes reconstituted and granted the application.
The court ordered the Petitioner to file the corrected petition by 4pm today the 13th of January 2021.
The court further ruled that the two respondents should also file any further answers to the amended petition by close of day Friday, 14th of January 2021.
Subsequently, the presiding judge, Chief Justice Anin Yeboah, adjourned sitting to Tuesday, the 19th of January 2021 for the case to take its natural cause.
From: Wilberforce A. Asare