General Mosquito has bitten more than he can chew

Today’s hearing, which dealt with the cross-examination of Asiedu Nketia (General Mosquito) by Nana Akufo-Addo’s lawyer, Akoto Ampaw, was quite important. Looking at what happened yesterday and the humorous cross-examination of Asiedu Nketia generated in the social media space, I didn’t expect anything different today.

General Mosquito’s approach to the National Science and Mathematics Quiz using his calculator in court was indeed epic. Generally, Asiedu Nketia, as expected, was evasive in his responses to questions put to him, a behavior reminiscent of what we saw of him during the 2013 presidential petition hearing. Indeed, he brings a great sense of humor in political space.

Lawyer Akoto Ampaw has done well in making Asiedu Nketia, John Mahama and the entire NDC party not credible to bring such a petition to court. Watching the video of what has been said by top NDC leaders, including John Mahama himself in press conferences declaring John Mahama the winner and going to court to seek the contrary, indeed raises very serious concerns about to the credibility of the petition.

I wasn’t surprised when Asiedu Nketia cleverly indicated that he couldn’t defend John Mahama and the others seen in the video. I would have done the same to avoid further ridiculing the “ Incompetent ”

Usually lay practitioners are tempted to equate the power of a lawyer’s argument with the glamor, burst, puff and drama associated with it. Unlike Tsatsu Tsikata, Akoto Ampaw was clearly not interested in flowery language and encomiums. No dramatization contrary to the expectations of non-legal practitioners. However, Judge Yaw Apau’s 4 deadly questions and Asiedu Nketia’s answers gave much-needed credibility to lawyer Akoto Ampaw’s closing remarks during his cross-examination.

* Justice Yaw Apau *: General, I know when you buy a USB stick it is empty and the data on any USB stick is generated by someone. So the USB drive that you attached to the hard copy and exposed as Exhibit “F” that generated or placed the data on it? Because when you were asked, you said you didn’t know what was on it. Who generated the data on the USB stick?

* Asiedu Nketia *: My Lord, as I said, honestly, I had not seen the USB stick and its contents until today. Evidence is gathered by our Directorate of Elections and Legal Affairs. They just gave me to attach to my statement.

* Judge Yaw Apau *: In all the numbers that were presented to you as valid votes, you said “if the numbers were correct”, “if the numbers were correct” and that there were inconsistencies in the numbers. I want to ask you…. What was the total number of valid votes cast in the presidential elections on December 7 according to your own calculations? Chief Justice Anin Yeboah also added – you claim you had polling officers in all 275 constituencies.

* Asiedu Nketia *: My lords, I did not bring these figures to court

* Judge Yaw Apau *: By your own calculation, how many valid votes were cast in favor of the petitioner (John Mahama) to your knowledge?

* Asiedu Nketia: * My Lord, I don’t have them here.

* Judge Yaw Apau *: What numbers from your own calculations did the second respondent (Nana Addo) get as the total of the valid votes cast in his favor?

* Asiedu Nketia *: My Lord, I don’t have the numbers here.

The answers given by Asiedu Nketia to Judge Yaw Apau’s 4 questions brought more clarity to the conclusion of lawyer Akoto Ampaw when he said: “Mr. Nketia, I suggest to you that your petitioner’s petition shows no reason to ‘to act. I further tell you that the petitioner is not entitled to any of the reparations he seeks. You have no case worth hearing in this tribunal. ”

The most embarrassing moment of the day was Tsatsu Tsikata’s unsuccessful attempt to save General Mosquito from further embarrassment by stating that Asiedu Nketia did not show the USB drive as evidence attached to his witness statement. You should have seen Tsatsu’s face when he was confronted with the truth.

One gets the impression that Asiedu Nketia rather destroyed Mahama’s case at the Supreme Court, but it is for the Court to decide. Until then, let’s see what happens tomorrow.

James McKeown

Helsinki, Finland

#SupremeCourtDiaries