Lawyers for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, Mr James Gyekye Quayson, have petitioned the Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah, to remove the judge hearing the petition challenging the election of the MP.
A member of the NDC legal team, Mr. Sammy Gyamfi, told the media after yesterday’s hearing that the legal team was praying the Chief Justice to remove Justice Kwasi Boakye over what he described as lack of fairness in the case.
It would be recalled that lead counsel for the MP, Mr. Abraham Amaliba, urged Justice Boakye to recuse himself over certain alleged comments that he (Justice Boakye) made.
Justice Boakye denied making any such comments and dismissed the oral application for him to recuse himself. Right after that move, Mr Amaliba withdrew his services as counsel for the respondent (MP).
The petitioner, Mr. Richard Takyi Mensah, and his lawyers described the attempt by the respondent to have the presiding judge removed from the case, as well as Mr. Amaliba’s withdrawal of his legal services, as a calculated move to delay the petition.
At yesterday’s hearing, it was revealed that Mr. Amaliba had not served the MP the notice to withdraw his legal services, to enable the MP to appoint a new lawyer. Justice Boakye, therefore, directed Mr. Amaliba to serve the notice about his intention to withdraw his legal services to the MP in order to expedite the hearing of the petition.
