The ongoing cross-examination of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Jomoro in the Western Region has been adjourned to October 10, this year.
This is because the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP, Dorcas Toffey, whose eligibility to contest the Jomoro seat in the 2020 parliamentary election is being challenged, failed to appear in court.
It would be recalled that at the last court sitting, the case was adjourned to July 17, 18 and 19, 2022 for the continuation of the cross-examination of the first respondent.
Before the case was called on Monday, the lawyer for the embattled MP had allegedly written to the court to inform it that the lawyers in the case had all agreed that the case should be adjourned to October 10, 11 and 12, this year.
However, counsel for the petitioner, Bright Adjekum told the court that even though they had discussions, they did not agree that the case should be adjourned.
The court, presided over by Justice Dr. Richmond Osei Hwere, therefore, indicated that the cross-examination would have continued without the MP.
The court therefore adjourned the case to October 10, 2022.
Meanwhile, the Jomoro Deputy Communications Officer of the NDC, Emmanuel Benle, who represented the MP in court, has apologised to the lawyers of the petitioner and the Electoral Commission for creating a wrong impression.
Emmanuel Benle sent a WhatsApp message to the petitioner which read: “At the last court date of 14th June, 2022, the case was adjourned to 18th, 19th and 20th of July 2022.
“However, counsels for the Petitioner and the Respondents have all agreed for a further adjournment of the instant case at their convenience.
“In view of this, the hearing of the case would continue on 10th, 11th and 12th of October 2022* instead of 18th, 19th and 20th of July 2022.”
Meanwhile, after realising that he had created a wrong impression, he sent another message and said, “In my last communication, I wrongly created the impression that all counsels in the matter have agreed to a new adjournment date in October.
“The correct position, however, is that the new adjournment date was occasioned by the counsel for the 1st Respondent and not the counsel for the Petitioner or the 2nd Respondent.
“I, therefore, retract and apologise unreservedly to all counsels in the matter, especially counsels for the Petitioner and the 2nd Respondent for my earlier update.”
The petitioner, Joshua Emuah Kofie of Nuba-Mpataba in the Jomoro Constituency, last year filed a suit challenging the Jomoro MP to produce evidence of her renounced Ivorian citizenship.
According to the petitioner, Dorcas Affo-Toffey was not qualified to contest in the 2020 parliamentary elections as she held dual citizenship at the time.