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NDC files CID complaint against Electoral Commission

Sam George MP argues with police at City Escape Hotel, Accra

The National Democratic Congress has filed a complaint against the Electoral Commission (EC) at the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service. The NDC accuses the EC of flouting the law by holding a workshop on a new voters’ register, on which a high court had placed an injunction.

The party’s deputy general secretary, Peter Otokunor, filed the complaint on Monday 27 April to report the matter officially to the CID and at the same time request an investigation into the matter.

The party alleges that the EC organised the training workshop for directors in defiance of a high court order. It has also demanded the prosecution of EC officials, accusing them of organising a public event which endangered life.

Ex-parte injunction

On 24 April Sam George, the NDC MP for Ningo-Prampram, filed an application at the high court in Tema praying the court to injunct the pending workshop, which was scheduled to take place in his constituency.

On the same day, Eugene Nyante Nyadu, a high court judge, granted the ex-parte injunction restraining the EC from holding the workshop in George’s constituency.

“It is hereby ordered that the respondent and all persons claiming through the respondent (EC) refrain from holding the workshop or conference scheduled to take place at the Escape Hotel Prampram from the 24th of April, 2020.’’

The injunction was to be effective from Friday 24 April to Monday 27 April.

EC defiant

This ruling notwithstanding, the EC went ahead with the workshop at the City Escape Hotel in Accra, amid heavy security.

While the workshop was running, Sam George arrived at the premises together with other NDC officials, but because of the heavy security presence they could only stand outside. The outcome provoked the MP’s displeasure.

“What is going in there is an illegality that has been established by a competent court of jurisdiction of the country,” George said. “The Electoral Commission led by Jean Mensa and Bossman Asare are flouting the orders of the court [sic].”

Contempt charge?

The NDC MP has suggested that the NDC may launch another court action against the EC – a contempt charge against the election management body, this time, for defying a high court order.

“That is an option that is available to us,” George told reporters. “I am having that conversation already with my lawyers.”

Action “posed a danger”

A pressure group calling itself the Mass Action Committee (MAC) issued a counter-statement on Tuesday demanding that the Ghana Police arrest the group of NDC sympathisers who gathered at the City Escape Hotel on Saturday and barracked EC officials as they left the meeting.

The group’s leader, Atik Mohammed, condemned the action, arguing that it posed a risk to public health and could have caused mayhem.

“It is the view of MAC that the mob’s presence at the meeting venue and their ensuing actions posed a danger to the safety of the EC officials,” said the statement, signed by Mohammed.”

“We further contend that these actions could have degenerated into chaos, but for the timely arrival of the police and national security officials.

“To the extent that these actions violate our laws, we demand that the police administration arrest and prosecute the perpetrators. In making this demand, we are minded by the fact that, Ghana is ruled by law and not men.”

Atsu Boye

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