The High Court hearing the case in which the embattled Chairman of New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Paul Afoko, is challenging the legality of his suspension will today begin scrutinising documents submitted by parties in the case.
The court may also begin the hearing of oral arguments from the parties in the case in which Mr Afoko wants to use the courts to get his office back ahead of the 2016 elections.
Mr Afoko is contesting the status of two members of the NPP’s Disciplinary Committee (DC) that recommended his suspension.
The legitimacy of the two, Mrs Gifty Eugenia Kusi, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tarkwa-Nsuaem, and Alhaji Abdul-Rahman Abubakar, also known as Alhaji Short, the Upper West Regional Chairman, on the DC is one of the five issues being raised by Mr Afoko’s lawyers.
Court’s directives
At its sitting on February 16, the court ordered the parties in the case to file and exchange the required documents before today.
After several adjournments resulting from the fact that neither the NPP nor its lawyers had been going to court, the court sorted out the issues for trial.
The court, presided over by Mr Justice Anthony Yeboah, said during the trial, while some issues would be disposed of by legal arguments, others would be dealt with by taking evidence.
It took the court more than an hour to determine the issues set down for trial.
The status of the two NPP leaders will be one of the two issues on which evidence would be taken from witnesses because they are factual in nature.
Mr Afoko went to court in December last year to challenge the constitutionality of his suspension.
Joined to the suit are the NPP and its Acting Chairman, Mr Freddie Blay.
Packed court
Unlike previous sittings when only Mr Afoko’s lawyers and his supporters were in court, during the February 16 sitting the courtroom was packed with some bigwigs of the NPP.
The room was split into two camps: those on Mr Afoko’s side, including Mr Kwadwo Mpiani, a former Chief of Staff, and Mr Sammy Crabbe, the suspended National Vice-Chairman of the party.
Those on the opposite side included a former Greater Accra Regional Minister, Sheikh I.C. Quaye; a former Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Nii Adjiri Blankson; a former National Chairman, Alhaji Haruna Esseku, and the Chairman of the Council of Elders of the party, Mr C.K. Tedam.
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