Drama and fireworks at court as petitioner in Jomoro MP’s case flees from his own witness statement
The petitioner of the ongoing Jomoro parliamentary elections trial, Mr Joshua Emuah Kofie made a shocking revelation in court this morning 7th June, 2022 during the 2nd Day of Cross examination.
The Cross examination which started yesterday has brought to bare facts about the persona of the Petitioner. He had openly admitted that he is a convicted criminal. This revelation has tainted his credibility as a person.
According to his own witness statement filed in court some months ago, he claimed to have documents which proves that the MP of Jomoro as at the time of filing her nomination to contest the parliamentary elections had an Ivorian passport and also held an American citizenship.
Surprisingly, Mr Kofie admitted in court that he had NO such documents which proved that the member of Parliament for the good people of Jomoro Hon. Dorcas Toffey is either an Ivorian National nor American citizen…
The lawyer for the 1st Respondent Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe ended his Cross examination today after he made the Petitioner read the article 48 of the Ivorian constitution marked as exhibit F4 .
The Petitioner admitted that he had no knowledge about the Ivorian laws and only took expert advice from his legal team.
This is how proceedings of the day unfolded
Cross Examination of Petitioner (Day 2):
Question:At the close of yesterday’s sitting, you indicated you needed more time to go through the volume of exhibits to look for a copy of the renewed passport, correct?
Answer:Yes my lord
Question: Have you personally seen this renewed passport?
Answer: No my lord.
Question: So as far as your witness statement and your supporting documentation are concerned, you have not seen the renewed passport. I am putting that to you.
Answer: No my lord.
Question: In your petition you said the 1st Respondent holds American citizenship, correct?
Answer: Yes my lord
Question: Do you still stand by that claim?
Answer: No my lord.
Question: At the time of filing the petition, you hadn’t seen the 1st Respondent’s Ivorian passport, correct?
Answer: No my lord
Question: In fact, it was in January 2021 that your lawyers wrote to the Human Right and Justice Department of Cote d’Ivoire to get information on the said passport, correct?
Answer: My lord, I would have to check the date.
Yes my lord (After checking the exhibits)
Question: You would agree with me that you are not an expert in Ivorian law?
Answer: No my lord, I am not an expert.
Question: And so your views expressed about the Ivorian law, in your witness statement, were your lay view of it, correct?
Answer: My views are as explained to me by my lawyers.
Question: Per your witness statement your views on Ivorian law were not what you were advised by your lawyers?
Answer: My lord it was as explained to me by my lawyers.
Question: In your witness statement, you attached Exhibit F4. Now
this letter attached is coming from the Human Rights and justice of Cote d’Ivoire, correct?
Answer: That is so my lord.
Question: Now can you read paragraph 2 of the letter?
Answer: Yes my lord.
“An adult Ivorian who opts for another nationality, automatically loses Ivorian nationality”.
Question: Now, go to paragraph 3, can you read that?
Answer: My lord, “In testimony thereof the said certificate of renunciation.”
Petitioner: Joshua Emuah Kofie
1st Respondent: Hon. Dorcas Toffey
The following personalities from the NDC were Present in Court to support the Jomoro MP.
Uncle Kofi Totobi Quakyi(former National security minister), Mr Joseph Nelson(Regional secretary),Mr.Richard Kirk-mensah (Regional communication officer),
Daniel Darlington Atitso(Regional Treasurer),Mr. Charles Adu Fordjour(Regional Dep secretary),
Alhaji Mustapha Iddrisu(Dep regional youth organiser),
Madam Araba Tagoe(former regional Dep.womens organiser),
Chairman Benle(Jomoro constituency chairman),
Ernest Anaman,
Hon. Benedict Boadi,
Alphonse Amihere,
Michael Otto(former PC Effia)
And Emmanuel Benle(dep Jomoro constituency officer)
While the NPP regional chairman Mr Ndede Siah and communication Director Issah Fuseini came to support the Petitioner.
Richard Kirk-mensah
(Regional communication officer)
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