Election Petition: Parties to give oral submissions
The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the parties in the Election Petition to give their oral submissions by way of clarification and necessary additions on August 7.
The court also stated that each party would be given 30 minutes to make the oral presentations to clarify issues and to state their case.
Mr Justice William Atuguba, President of the panel of Judges, gave the directives after the court had ruled to reluctantly accept the late filing of addresses by the third respondent on Wednesday morning.
Mr Justice Atuguba, giving the ruling, stated that the act that caused the delay in meeting the deadline was for the benefit of the court but said Mr Tsatsu Tsikata as a senior lawyer, should have been guided by the practices of the court and ought to have sought formal application for the late filing.
He said although the court orders must be obeyed, given the magnitude of the case and the fact that the address was filed in the morning after the deadline, the panel had to reluctantly admit the address.
Mr Tsikata, counsel for third respondent, stated that the delay in filing the addresses was a result of the respondent attaching 10 appendices for the document.
Mr Philip Addison objected to Mr Tsikata assertion saying the court orders are meant to be obeyed.
He stated that when the third respondents realised that they could not file on the deadline all they could do was to make a formal application for a late filing of the address.
Mr Addison said looking into their eyes they have had no sleep at all, adding that they have looked at the address by the petitioners to fine tune their own.
“This is a communist inferior tactics. They are now coming with an oral application and that is unacceptable. I leave it entirely to the court to take a decision,” he added.
Mr Tony Lithur, Counsel for the first Respondent, however stated that the comments by Mr Addison was a “desperate suggestion” adding that he had good sleep contrary to the assertion made by Mr Addison.
Mr Tsikata also stated that he had a long sleep last night and that he has not seen the addresses filed by the petitioners.
He said even though the comment from Mr Addison was meant for a joke, it is quite offensive.
Mr Tsikata also drew the court’s attention to the possibility of the adjourned date coinciding with the Ramadan holiday.
Mr Justice Atuguba said if the Ramadan falls on August 7 the adjourned date will be moved to the following day.
Source: GNA