Afoko wanted to settle with petitioners

Most Rev. Dr Samuel Asante-Antwi, Chairman of the National Disciplinary Committee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) said lawyers for Mr Paul Afoko tried to engage petitionerss to withdraw the case from the committee.

He told the Accra Human Rights Court that, the petitioners said the lawyers for the plaintiff were trying to discuss the withdrawal of the case but they refused.

He said on October 12,2015, the lawyers for the plaintiff filed an objection to the committee concerning the petition, which they received.

The Witness, who was under cross-examination, said the members asked the lawyers, where their client was but they said their client was sick so we further asked for a medical report which was not produced.

The lawyer said the medical report was on their laptop and that he would go for it later, adding that “we insisted on it for our records and he went out and brought it later.”

He said after receiving the medical report, the committee told the lawyer, they wanted to see his client and so per their diary they fixed October 21 to produce their client.

Most Rev Asante-Antwi was the first defence witness presented by the defence counsel.

During cross examination counsel for Mr Afoko, lawyer Osafo Buabeng, asked the witness, whether the plaintiff was suspended as a member of the party or just as an officer but Most Rev. Asante-Antwi quoted article 17 of the NPP constitution to answer the question.

The case was later adjourned to July 15 for the defence team to produce their next witness.

Mr Afoko is challenging his indefinite suspension from the party, arguing it was illegal. The NPP’s National Executive Committee suspended him in October 2015 for “misconduct.” of which the National Council of the party later endorsed, which is the second highest decision making body of the party after congress.

According to him, the action and processes leading to his suspension by the party were unconstitutional and a breach of natural justice.

Source: GNA