One of the spokespersons for John Dramnani Mahama, the petitioner in the ongoing election petition, Dr Dominic Ayine says their legal team will file the witness statement by close of day tomorrow.
He said they will therefore comply and file their witness statements by close of Wednesday, January 27, 2021, as instructed by the apex court.
It follows the Supreme Court’s final orders to the petitioner to file his five witness statements by the above date or have his case dismissed.
This was after Mr. Mahama failed to comply with an earlier directive issued last week to file the processes by January 21, 2021, to enable hearing of the substantive matter commenced today [January 26, 2021].
Speaking to the media after today’s hearing, Dr. Ayine admitted that the legal representation of the petitioner has taken cognizance of the repercussions of failing to do as instructed hence will abide by the Supreme Court’s order.
“We are prepared, the witness statements will be filed with all its exhibits by close of day tomorrow. We are fully aware of the consequences of rule 79 of the Supreme Court rules. It is a rule that cuts across from the district court all the way to the Supreme Court and as lawyers, we are very much aware that if you fail to take a step ordered by the court, the court within its jurisdiction and power can dismiss your application of the case that you have brought.”
“So we are very much aware of it, but we don’t intend to bring about a situation that will trigger the application of rule 79. The witness statements will accordingly be filed tomorrow, and I am very sure that the public will have copies of the witness statements”, Dr. Ayine added.
