The Supreme Court says it will not hesitate to dismiss the 2020 election petition filed by former President John Dramani Mahama if he (Mahama) fails to comply with the court’s order to file his witness statement by Wednesday, January 27, 2021.
Mr. Mahama failed to comply with an earlier order issued last Wednesdays to file the processes by January 21, 2021, to enable hearing of the substantive matter which commenced January 26, 2021.
According to the Judges, before it listens to any further applications, it was necessary for the petitioner to obey its orders else it would invoke the sanctions under rule 69 which gives the court the power to dismiss the petition if the petitioner failed to comply with the order of the court.
Lawyer for Mahama, Tony Lithur explaining why Mahama failed to file the witness statement to the Supreme Court was that it was their understanding that per their application for stay of proceedings, they were not to file the processes expected.
The Court however took serious exception to the position.
Dr. Dominic Ayine speaking after the court proceedings said Mahama’s legal team will not create room for the petition they have filed at the Supreme Court to be struck out.
He said they will therefore comply and file their witness statements by close of Wednesday, January 27, 2021, as instructed by the apex court.
Mahama is in court after he and his party –the National Democratic Congress– rejected the results of the 2020 presidential polls.
