Lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata engaged in a brief exchange with Justices of the Supreme Court during a recent appearance in a case he is representing embattled Assin North Member of Parliament, James Gyakye Quayson.
The court-led by Justice Jones Dotse on Tuesday, April 5, advised Tsikata to desist from actions that the court said, was wasting its time and by so doing impeding progress on the case.
The court had spelt out a case management process to which Tsikata objected leading to an exchange with Justice Dotse.
The exchange drew in one of the other justices, Agnes Dordzie who tried to explain the position of the court and the expediency of their decision to Tsikata.
She explained, “People have travelled here for their cases, and you cannot have the whole day. It is our duty to manage the case, and we have decided to hear it this way, and so shall it be.”
“Enough of all this,” she added.
When Tsatsu Tsikata got the opportunity to respond to Justice Dordzie, he asked three rhetorical questions before inviting the apex court to proceed however they deemed fit.
“Enough of the law? Enough of authorities? Enough of what binds us? Your Lordships can proceed whichever way, but it is also the right of counsel to be on record on why the way you’re proceeding is prejudicial,” he added.
The exchanges between Tsikata and Dotse were triggered when Dotse announced that the panel had decided to hear a preliminary objection to an injunction before it at the same time as it heard the interlocutory injunction itself.
Tsikata, who was already up on his feet to move his preliminary objection however insisted that it would be prejudicial to hear the substantive injunction application without first hearing the preliminary objection.
The Assin North MP is battling to maintain his seat in Parliament, months after a Cape Coast High Court ordered new elections in his constituency citing procedural errors in how he became a candidate in the 2020 polls.
A constituent, Michael Ankomah Nimfah, on January 27, filed an interlocutory injunction against James Gyake Quayson for performing his parliamentary duties after the High Court Judgment.
James Gyakye Quayson had his seat declared vacant by Cape Coast High Court following the issue of dual citizenship on July 28, 2021.
The Supreme Court panel of seven presided over by Justice Jones Victor Dotse with Justice Agnes Dordzie, Justice Nene Amegatcher, Justice Mariama Owusu, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, Justice Henrietta Mensah Bonsu and Justice Yonni Kulendi fixed the date after hearing the parties.
Supreme Court set April 13 to rule on the injunction application against James Gyakye Quayson.
Source: Ghanaweb.com
