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We have no problem with court summoning Sir John - Young Patriots

Kwadwo Owusu-Afriyie (Sir John)The Young Patriots, a youth group of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), say they have no qualms about the Supreme Court for summoning the General Secretary of the party, Mr Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, and the Operations Director of the group, Mr Hopeson Adorye, before it.

They expressed the belief that the invitation was in line with the court’s quest to dispense justice and ensure peace in the country.

At a press conference in Accra yesterday (Monday), the chairman of the Young Patriots, Mr Richard Nyamah, however, said the group had also written to draw the Supreme Court’s attention to what they described as recent contemptuous comments by some members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), including President John Dramani Mahama, after the red line had been drawn by the court.

The group made copies of the evidence available to the media and cited comments by President Mahama on August 7, 2013 to the Muslim community that the Supreme Court “will affirm him”.

The Young Patriots also alleged that Mr Ali Dawood, an NDC member, who was hosting a Majority Caucus on Multi TV on June 25, 2013, said “the Supreme Court cannot overturn any elections in Ghana, not in 2013 or ever”, while Mr Owula Mangortey, who is also a member of the NDC,   on Radio Gold warned “President Mahama not to accept the Supreme Court verdict if it goes against him”.

It also claimed that Mr Stephen Atubiga, who was jailed three days recently for making contemptuous comments, had, again on Adom FM on August 9, 2013, described the Supreme Court Justices “as unjust and threatened to sue them”.

Addressing the press, Mr Nyamah noted that after his comments, Mr Owusu Afriyie, who is popularly known as Sir John, had shown good faith by issuing a guide on how to comment decently on the Supreme Court petition without offending it.

He said after designing the guidelines which was a control measure, Mr Owusu-Afriyie, together with some youth of the party, travelled throughout the country and educated members of the party on the court case and the need to have faith in the Supreme Court and abide by its judgements.

“He has shown by words and deeds to the extent of doing same with the foreign branches of the party. Sir John is on record to have stated that if the judgement goes against the NPP, they will accept it and organise the party for 2016,” he said.

It affirmed its absolute trust and belief in the Supreme Court to dispense justice and added that as youth of the party they would abide by the advice of the leadership of the NPP to remain calm and peaceful after the judgement.

The Supreme Court, on August 9, 2013, in a summons jointly signed by the Presiding Judge of the nine-member panel hearing the presidential election petition and the registrar of the court, Mr Justice William Atuguba and Mr James Mensah, respectively, formally summoned Mr Adorye and  Mr Owusu-Afriyie to answer contempt charges before it.

The court is asking the two to show why they “should not be committed to prison for contempt of this court for scandalising the court, lowering the authority and credibility of this court in the eyes of the general public and inciting hatred and ill will towards the first and second respondents herein”.

By Donald Ato Dapatem/Daily Graphic/Ghana

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