Former Court of Appeals judge, Justice Saeed Kwaku Gyan, has expressed dismay at the Supreme Court’s approach to the 2020 Election Petition, accusing the court of shielding Electoral Commissioner Jean Mensa from accountability.
During a public lecture organised by Solidare Ghana in collaboration with the University of Ghana, Justice Gyan criticised the Supreme Court’s decision to prevent Jean Mensa from testifying.
The event, themed “Protecting Our Democracy: The Role of the Judiciary,” provided a platform for the former judge to voice his concerns.
Justice Gyan, addressing the audience at the University of Ghana, underscored the significance of accountability and transparency in the democratic process.
He argued that the Supreme Court should have allowed Jean Mensa, as the returning officer, to testify and provide an account of the electoral process to the people of Ghana.
“The Electoral Commissioner was the returning officer. She was accountable to the people of this country. And the Supreme Court ought to have allowed her to go into the witness box and account for the people of this country. They shielded to the detriment of our country for today, and maybe for tomorrow,” he stated on Tuesday, October 24.
Expressing disappointment, Justice Gyan criticised the Supreme Court’s perceived reluctance to hold institutions accountable, suggesting potential long-lasting consequences for the nation.
“It is a very, very shameful situation. It doesn’t show that our Supreme Court is prepared to make our institutions accountable. If they cannot hold even the EC accountable, how can they hold the President accountable?”
The case was filed by the NDC’s 2020 Presidential Candidate, John Dramani Mahama, who contested the 2020 polls with the aim of capturing power.
The petition named Ghana’s electoral management body, the Electoral Commission, and Nana Akufo-Addo as respondents, following the rules governing the hearing of petitions in Ghana.