The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly called Sir John, will on Monday appear before the committee investigating allegations that the judgement of 2012 Presidential Election Petition was compromised, DAILY GUIDE has gathered.
DAILY GUIDE sources within the Judicial Service stated that Sir John's appearance was for him to clearly state the case in the petition he filed with Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Wood, following a leaked tape containing damning allegations that some of the nine Supreme Court justices who sat on the 2012 presidential election petition were 'seen' before they delivered their judgement.
Interestingly, Victoria Lakshmi Hamah is also appearing on the same day and may make some startling revelations that may shock the nation before the committee.
The voice on the tape is said to belong to the former Deputy Minister of Communications, Victoria Hamah. The recording apparently embarrassed the-John Dramani Mahama administration, leading to the swift firing of the deputy minister.
In the tape, the embattled former minister was heard telling her confidant that; "... I learnt even before the Supreme Court judgement,
Nana Oye Lithur was with the Justices and all that. You don't know the role she has played for us to win the court case..."
Ms. Hamah, in the tape specifically indicated that the night before the Supreme Court election petition panel delivered their final judgement, the Minister of Children, Gender and Social Protection, Nana Oye-Lithur, went to 'see' some of the justices.
Incidentally, Mrs. Oye-Lithur is the wife of President Mahama's Lawyer, Tony Lithur, in the election petition . She has, however, denied the allegation.
The expose generated intense outrage among the general public, particularly the opposition New Patriotic Party whose presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo and two others had filed a petition at the Supreme Court challenging the 2012 presidential election results.
They felt the Electoral Commission and the incumbent National Democratic Congress (NDC) colluded to ensure the victory of the NDC's Presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama.
After eight gruelling months of legal tussle, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition.
The judgement came as a shock to a significant number of people who were either expecting the Supreme Court to issue a resounding call for electoral reforms or an overturning of the NDC's victory, given the huge discrepancies in the electoral process clearly observed during the court proceedings.
The content of the leaked tape generated a lot of furore that Sir John was prompted to file a petition for serious investigations to be conducted into the issue.
Sir John's petition filed about two weeks ago was to prompt the Judicial Service to probe the content of the tape and determine the efficacy of the allegations.
The Judicial Service responded to the petition in a letter dated November 18, 2013 which was signed by the Judicial Secretary, Alex B. Poku-Acheampong.
In the letter, he informed Sir John about the action being taken to launch an investigation.
The Chief Justice promptly took the matter seriously by ordering a committee of Judicial Council members to investigate the matter.
The committee members include Nana Dr. S.K.B Asante, the chief of Asokore in the Ashanti Region and a legal luminary who is also an international arbitrator; a representative of the Attorney General,
Frank Beecham, a legal practitioner and a former President of the Ghana Bar Association.
The high profile investigation would be chaired by a retired Supreme Court Judge, S.K. Date- Bah, who is noted for his no-nonsense disposition.
Latest Stories
-
Ejisu Bye-election: NPP holds primary April 13, opens 3-day nomination window
15 mins -
Woman who was cut on the ear by policeman petitions IGP
1 hour -
Henry Quartey: Dear H.E. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
2 hours -
‘He has bad precedent’ – Lawyer Jantuah slams Akufo-Addo over his refusal to sign an anti-LGBTQ+ bill
8 hours -
Nana Kwame Asiedu-Amponsah is overall best graduating student – KNUST College of Health Sciences
9 hours -
Ghanaian-American chemical engineer Dr Thomas Owusu Mensah dies aged 74
9 hours -
“ETHIOPIA TAMRIT EXPO 2024” – Promoted in Brussels in Collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Agriculture Belgium-Luxembourg, Africa, Caribbean, Pacific(CBL ACP)
10 hours -
Time for Ghana to have a binding debt regime – Isaac Adongo
10 hours -
You don’t sow seed for forgiveness – Pastor advises Christians
10 hours -
2 dead, 5 injured in accident at Sokoban in Kumasi
11 hours -
UMB welcomes BoG’s appointment of Advisor towards its recapitalization drive
11 hours -
Edem releases first single of 2024 titled ‘Monalisa’
11 hours -
Mahama advocates for prioritising human capital development to fuel economic growth in Africa
11 hours -
We haven’t leveraged on Year of Return to promote our music – Bisa Kdei
12 hours -
Man City’s level not seen in football before – Arteta
12 hours