[ 2021-02-08 ]

“We are not convinced Petitioner provided any evidence in court” - Oppong Nkruma

By Morkporkpor Anku

Accra, Feb. 8, GNA – Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, a
Spokesperson for President Nana Addo Dankwa
Akufo-Addo, Second Respondent in the 2020
Presidential Election Petition on Monday said the
Counsel for the Respondent are not convinced that
the Petitioner has provided any evidence in
court.

He said the Petitioner, through his witnesses were
unable to provide to the court that none of the
Presidential Candidates in the presidential
election 2020 obtained 50 percent of the votes
cast, hence their announcement that they do not
intend to call any fresh witnesses.

Mr Akoto Ampaw, the lead Counsel for the Second
Respondent told the court that, they do not intend
to call any witnesses though initially, they had
told the court that they would call Mr Peter Mac
Manu, the 2020 Campaign Manager for the
Respondent.

Mr Nkrumah speaking in a post-trial interview said
“on our side, the view and believe is that the
Petitioner has not made any case to enable us to
call our witness.”

He said the whole country has been waiting,
especially the supporters of the NDC to see their
officials prove that nobody got 50 per cent but
that did not happened.

“We are extremely happy that the Petitioner has
come to the end of his case for which the
Petitioner has adduced all the evidence that he
has,” he added.

He said the Counsel for President Akufo-Addo made
that announcement to the court because the
evidence and the cross examination of the
Petitioner’s witnesses was enough for them.

He said Counsel for the Petitioner wanted
literally to compel the Respondents to bring
witnesses to adduce some evidence to help them in
their course.

Mr Nkrumah said Counsel for the Second Respondent
had always insisted that the burden of prove lies
on the Petitioner, sections 14, 17 of evidence Act
were very clear on that. “He who alleges must
prove,” he said.

He said the Petitioner has told his supporters
across the country that, he had won the 2020
Presidential Election and that they should get on
the street, which they did resulting in deaths,
injury to people, others having some infractions
with the Police and getting arrested.

After the cross-examination of Robert Joseph
Mettle-Nunoo, the third witness for the Petitioner
by Mr Akoto Ampaw, Counsel for the Second
Respondent and Justin Amenuvor, Counsel for First
Respondent, Mr Tsatsu Tsikata informed the court
that, they have closed their cases.

Counsel for the Respondents had initially
indicated to the court that they would call one
witness each for which witness statements were
filed but later disclosed that they do not intend
to call those witnesses anymore.

The court will on Tuesday February 9, 2021 listen
to the legal arguments from parties and give their
ruling.

Initially, the Petitioner through his Counsel
informed the court that they intended to call five
witnesses but ended up calling three in the
persons of Mr John Asiedu Nketia, the General
Secretary of the National Democratic Congress
(NDC), Dr Michael Kpessa-Whyte and Mr Robert
Joseph Mettle-Nunoo, all leading members of the
NDC.

Former President Mahama has filed a Petition at
the Supreme Court seeking an annulment of the
Presidential Election Results and a re-run of the
election between him and Nana Akufo-Addo who is
the second Respondent in the petition.

The Petition is also seeking an injunction
directing the 1st Respondent, the Electoral
Commission to proceed to conduct a second election
between the petitioner and the 2nd respondent as
candidates, as required under Articles 63 (4) and
(5) of the 1992 constitution.

The trial has been adjourned to Tuesday February
9, 2021 for continuation.

Source - GNA

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