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Tsikata objects to another panel member
Accra, July 22, Ghanadot/GNA - Tsatsu
Tsikata, the incarcerated former Ghana National Petroleum
Corporation Chief Executive Officer, has for the second time
objected to a member of panel on the Supreme Court hearing
his application to quash his five-year jail term.
Tsikata objected to Mr. Justice Anin Yeboah, who had
replaced Mr Justice Allan Brobbey whose membership of the
panel he had objected against earlier.
Tsikata is before the Supreme Court to move a motion
invoking its supremacy jurisdiction to quash the ruling by
Mrs Justice Henrietta Abban on June 18 this year, which
struck out an application his counsel had filed earlier for
further evidence to be heard by the Supreme Court.
The former GNPC boss contended that, Mr. Justice Anin Yeboah
had ruled on an application in respect of the immunity of
the International Financial Corporation (IFC) at the Court
of Appeal.
He said Mr Justice Anin Yeboah was aware of what he termed
as “the facts” of the matter.
Despite the objection raised by Tsikata, he prayed the court
to allow him to move his motion.
The panel on the Supreme Court, presided over by Ms Justice
Sophia Akuffo said the issue raised by Tsikata was new to
her and that she cannot proceed with the matter if (Tsikata)
had some reservations.
Soon after conferring with the panel, Ms Justice Akuffo
announced that “my brother has indicated that he has chosen
to (excuse) himself”.
According to Ms Justice Akuffo she was not responsible for
empanelling of judges hence would adjourn the matter sine
die and inform the Chief Justice accordingly.
The panel was Mr Justice Julius Ansah, Ms Justice Rose Owusu
and Mr. Justice Jones Victor Dotse.
Tsikata had also gone to the Supreme Court to quash the
decisions of Mrs Justice Abban prior to her delivering her
judgment.
These include the determination that he (Tsikata) was
abusing the court process and the decision of the trial
judge to rescind her decision to stay proceedings and await
the outcome of the Supreme Court proceeding on whether the
International Finance Corporation was answerable to the
jurisdiction of the courts of Ghana.
Others were that the trial judge’s decision not to adjourn
proceedings but to proceed to deliver judgment and the fact
that it went ahead to deliver judgment when Tsikata’s
counsel was not round yet proceeded to deliver her judgment
on June 18.
Tsikata was sentenced to five years imprisonment for
wilfully causing financial loss to the state and
misappropriating public property after the Fast Track High
Court had found him guilty.
GNA
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