Supreme Court Dismisses Amekudze's Application Of 'Amicus Curiae Brief'

An application for an "amicus curiae" brief, filed by a friend of the Supreme Court, Mr Benoni Tony Amekudze, which sought to draw the attention of the court to a violation of the law in the hearing of the presidential election petition has been dismissed. An amicus curiae brief is an application that brings to the attention of the court a relevant matter not already brought to its attention by the parties and may be of considerable help to the Court. Three petitioners, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo who contested the 2012 December presidential elections, his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and the chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Jake Obetsebi Lamptey are in the Supreme Court, challenging the declaration of President John Mahama as winner of the elections. At the hearing of the petition Thursday morning, Mr Benoni Tony Amekudze, who introduced himself as a friend of the court argued he wanted to draw the attention of the court to some relevant provisions of the law that were being violated. He insisted that if given the opportunity, he would demonstrate to the court whether or not a sitting President should be sued or joined in a suit as a respondent and that he wanted to draw the Supreme Court�s attention to the fact that it was breaking the law. Whiles still on his feet trying to explain his case, the judges asked him whether he had sworn an affidavit in support of his application. But he responded in the negative and said he had signed the application since he was a lawyer. Counsel for the petitioners and the respondents unanimously prayed the court to dismiss the application since it was not properly laid before the court. The Supreme Court�s rules require that all applications should be supported by an affidavit. Mr Amekudze�s application was subsequently dismissed on grounds that it was not properly laid before the court.