Ghana election hearing: Court names KPMG to audit oppositon’s pink sheets
The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the total auditing of pink sheet exhibits presented by the petitioners in the ongoing election petition.
The order by the court follows accusation by Mr Tsatsu Tsikata, Lead Counsel for National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the petitioners supplied far less 11,842 pink sheets and that they were padding exhibits to deceive the court.
He insisted that on an audit should be done in the mid way through his cross examination of witness.
He then applied to the court to count the affidavits and polling station pink sheets exhibits submitted by the petitioners.
Mr Tony Lithur, Counsel for President John Mahama agreed with the statement by Mr Tsikata and insisted for an auditing of the figures.
He said his witness Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia had deposed in his affidavits that the number of pink sheet exhibits received was far less than what has been alleged and so Mr Addison should not create the impression that they did not raise the issue about shortfalls.
Mr James Quarshie-Idun, Counsel for the Electoral Commission also concurred and said the audit of the pink sheet would be in the interest of all.
Mr Philip Addison, lead Counsel for the Petitioners, who did not object to the auditing of the exhibits, questioned the timing for the auditing.
He said the respondents ought to have raised the issue with the registry that the number of pink sheets they received were far less than the 11,842 the petitioners claimed to have been deposed.
He said counsel for third respondents could have raised the issue before beginning with his cross examination.
He wondered why Mr Tsikata who is about to complete his cross examination would be making claim that the number of exhibits received was not 11,842.
Mr Justice Baffoe Bonney, one of the judges on the panel quickly checked the total number of the petitioners’ affidavits and confirmed that the figure is 11,842.
Mr Justice William Atuguba at that juncture called for a recess and said the court would rule on the matter.
He however said the first respondent had raised the issue about auditing of the pink sheets but the court had to defer that request adding that the bench would rule on it late.
The lead counsel from the parties were called into the Judge’s chambers during recess to agree on how to audit the exhibits.
While giving his ruling, Mr Justice William Atuguba, the Presiding Judge said the parties agreed to the selection of KPMG, an International Accounting firm to serve as referee to audit the exhibits as provided by the petitioners to the court registry.
He said the parties are free to send two representatives each to observe the inventory and the cost of the audit would be borne by all the parties involved in the case.
Source: GNA