High Court to make a decision in the EC contempt case
The Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson Jean Mensa and her two deputies are being held in contempt of court over the limited voter registration drive. The Tema High Court has scheduled November 24, 2023, for the court to rule on the case.
In spite of her application for an injunction to halt the limited registration exercise, Precious Ayitah, the applicant, had prayed to the High Court to hold Mrs. Mensa, Dr. Eric Bossman Asare, and Samuel Tettey in contempt of court for continuing with the exercise in the EC district offices.
The parties involved in the case were instructed by the court, which was presided over by Justice Patricia Quansah, to submit their written arguments by November 16, 2023. High Court
The ruling is scheduled for November 24, 2023, when the parties will reconvene.
The respondents—Mrs. Mensa, Dr. Asare, and Mr. Tettey—were heavily escorted by the military and police when they appeared in court.
Precious Ayitah, a resident of Otsebleku, near Afienya in the Greater Accra Region, filed a contempt suit against the EC Chairperson and her deputies. She claimed that on September 8, 2023, the respondents received notice of an interlocutory injunction, which was intended to prevent them from proceeding with the limited registration exercise in the EC district offices. High Court
She contended that the respondents ignored the aforementioned request for an injunction and carried out the restricted registration drive at the EC’s district offices.
In her affidavit defending the application, Ms. Ayitah claimed that the respondent was in contempt of court because their plan to move forward with the limited registration exercise at the district offices could potentially affect the outcome of both the initial interlocutory injunction application and the substantive suit that was filed.
Order
Reindolf Twumasi Ankrah, one of the applicant’s attorneys, who held brief for Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo, stated that their client was forced to move through with the contempt application because the original motion on notice had been superseded by circumstances, according to the records.
After that, Mr. Ankrah asked the court for permission to provide an oral argument.
Judge Patricia Quansah, however, postponed the hearing for the contempt case until November 24 and directed the attorneys of both sides to submit their written arguments by November 16.
This came about after the EC chairperson’s attorney, Justin Amenuvor, and her deputies revealed in court that his clients had submitted an affidavit contesting the contempt lawsuit.
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