The leadership of the National Democratic Congress has directed the party’s caucus in Parliament to boycott activities of the house henceforth. The action is to protest what the party said was a politically motivated trial and sentencing of their member, Dan Abodakpi. Abodakpi, a former deputy Minister for Trade and Industry and current NDC Member of Parliament for Keta was on Monday handed a 10-year jail term by the Fast Track High Court in Accra. The court, presided by Justice S.T. Farkye, found him guilty of causing financial loss and defrauding the state to the tune of ¢2.73 billion in a trial that lasted almost two and half years. But the NDC at a press conference on Tuesday addressed by party chairman, Dr. Kwabena Adjei, described the judgement as a travesty of justice and accused the government of hiding behind institutions of state to decimate its political opponents. The party said even though the prosecution had reviewed the original amount loss of $400,000 Abodakpi was charged to have willfully caused to $250,000, the judge proceeded to pronounce maximum sentence for him on the basis of the original charge. The party also said before passing judgement, the judge adjourned briefly (for about 10 minutes) and emerged from his chamber with a disturbed looked. The party said the judge may have been spoken to by an unknown person to decide the case in a particular manner. And then again when he decided to pass judgement, he was too partial as to sum up the arguments of the prosecution only with no regard whatsoever for what the defence had said. Dr. Kwabena Adjei said the NDC was not against strengthening of the institutions of state to carry out their mandated roles, however it would not sit unconcerned and condone it when the state compromises the independence of those very institutions. He said the NDC had more trials of its office holders and leading members in ongoing trials but that would not deter the party from playing its duty to the nation. “We hold our breaths and expect the worse. We however wish to state emphatically that this will not shake the resolution of our party to fully participate in the constitutional governance of Ghana.” Reactions in Mr Abodakpi’s constituency have been mixed and almost polarized along party lines. While the few NPP supporters in the constituency have hailed the ruling, the NDC supporters are condemning it as an attack on the party and Ewes. They cite the incarceration of the late Victory Serlomey, the continuing trial of Tsatsu Tsikata and the sentencing of Mr. Abodakpi as key indicators.