No show at Ashitey vs Zanetor case
There was no show at the High Court hearing the case in which the eligibility of Dr Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for the Klottey Korle Constituency for the 2016 elections is being contested.
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By 8.30 a.m. Wednesday, the courtroom was packed with supporters on both sides. The incumbent Member of Parliament for the constituency, Nii Armah Ashitey, was present but Dr Agyeman-Rawlings was absent.
What was expected to be the day of double hearing—the substantive case and Dr Agyeman Rawlings’s motion for stay of execution pending the hearing of her appeal at the Court of Appeal in connection with her suit that was dismissed by the same court—turned out to be a disappointment for the scores of supporters who filled the courtroom.
The court clerks announced that the presiding judge, Mr Justice Kweku Ackaah Boafo, had gone for a seminar, so the court would not sit.
The case has, however, been adjourned to tomorrow, March 11, 2016.
Last week
Two other contenders in the race—Nii Ashitey, and Nii John Coleman, are claiming Dr Agyeman-Rawlings is not a registered voter and, therefore, not qualified to be elected as a parliamentary candidate for the NDC.
Other parties joined to the suit are the NDC and the Electoral Commission (EC).
Last week, the case was adjourned because the judge told the court that he had received a letter from Mr Gary Nimako Marfo, the counsel for the plaintiffs, asking for the adjournment of the case to Wednesday.
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Mr Marfo was in court but Dr Agyeman-Rawlings’ lawyer, Mr Edudzi Kudzo Tameklo, was absent.
The judge declined to disclose the contents of the letter. However, information received by the Daily Graphic indicated that the letter asked for the adjournment because of alleged threats on the life of Mr Marfo, who asked for time to make security arrangements for himself, his workplace and family.
A similar case brought against Dr Agyeman-Rawlings was dismissed by the High Court on January 15, this year, because the plaintiffs in the case—Mr Joseph Botchway and three others—lacked locus.