Limited Voter Registration Case: Plaintiff Drags EC Boss To Court Of Appeal

Lawyers involved in the case against the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa, and her deputies have served a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal, challenging Friday’s ruling.

The Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) was taken to an Accra High Court for contempt for proceeding with the limited voter registration exercise despite the existence of an interlocutory injunction filed against the Commission.

The lawyers, not satisfied with the ruling, argued that the decision given on Friday, November 24, 2023, by Her Ladyship Justice Patricia Quansah, was against the weight of the evidence presented at the hearing.

“Take notice that the Applicant/Appellant herein being dissatisfied with the ruling of the High Court, Tema, sitting per Her Ladyship Justice Patricia Quansah dated 24th November 2023, hereby appeals to the Court of Appeal on the ground set out in paragraph 3 herein of the Notice of Appeal and will at the hearing of the Appeal seek the relief set out in paragraph 4.”

Among the reliefs the lawyers are still seeking include: “An order citing the respondents for court,” an order committing the respondents for contempt.”

Background

The interlocutory injunction was secured on Friday, September 8, by a resident of Otsebleku near Afienya, Ayitah Precious, who is not a registered voter. She obtained the injunction to prevent the voter registration exercise from commencing, especially in the districts.

Ayitah Precious, in her writ, emphasized that her place of residence is located approximately 44.3 kilometres from the EC’s District office in Prampram when using the Accra-Aflao road, and about 37.3 kilometres when using the Akosombo-Accra Road and indicated she cannot afford the cost of traveling the distance to have her registration done.

She argued that it would have been more convenient if the registration had been conducted in her electoral area and replicated across the country to ensure new applicants are able to go through the process without incurring costs, which will likely disenfranchise some applicants in the EC’s limited voter registration exercise.

The court granted her relief and injuncted the process, but the Electoral Commissioner and her deputies went ahead to issue notices of the exercise which commences today [September 12].

Ayitah Precious, not being satisfied with the blatant disregard of the court’s ruling, went back to the High Court on Monday, September 11, to request that Jean Adukwei Mensa, the Chair of the Commission, along with her two deputies, Dr. Eric Bossman Asare and Samuel Tettey, be cited for contempt of court.