General News of Monday, 9 October 2017
Source: primenewsghana.com
2017-10-09
EC Chair Charlotte Osei
The lawyer representing the petitioner seeking the removal of the Electoral Commission Chairperson, Charlotte Osei, has withdrawn his application challenging the legitimacy of the lawyer representing the EC boss.
The petitioner had earlier argued that Thaddeus Sory should not be allowed to represent Charlotte Osei.
In his submission before Justice Kwaku Ackaah-Boafo Monday, lawyer Julius Opoku Agyei, led by lawyer Kwame Acheampong Boateng said the withdrawal has become necessary because their client Maxwell Opoku Agyemang has caused another lawyer to enter an appearance on his behalf in the same matter in a different court.
Justice Ackaah-Boafo in his ruling said he is ready to grant the application because there was no rule that stops him from doing same. The application was granted.
The court, however, awarded lawyer Sory a cost of GHC4000 instead of the GHC50,000 he was asking for following the withdrawal of the case.
There is a petition forwarded to the Presidency from unnamed EC staff who are being led by Lawyer Maxwell Opoku-Agyemang, against the EC boss, which is pending before the Chief Justice.
In the initial petition, a litany of allegations have been levelled against her, including spending GH¢3.9 million to partition an office, receipt of a Toyota Land Cruiser from the erstwhile John Mahama NDC government, spending about $14 million when the Public Procurement Authority had authorized her to use only $7.5 million, as well as attending Cabinet meetings during the tenure of the President John Mahama, among other issues.
A new petition was subsequently filed for the impeachment of Charlotte Osei over alleged breaches of public procurement practices and provisions of the Public Procurement Act 2003 (Act 663), as well as gross financial mismanagement.
