Judge played role of a 3rd Defendant in Afoko's judgment - Lawyer

A private legal practitioner believes the trial judge in the case involving suspended National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Paul Awentami Afoko and the party played the role of a third defendant.

“I have read the judgment of his Lordship Justice Anthony Yeboah in extenso and I couldn’t fathom the manifestation of deliberate unfairness with regards to this ruling. In one breath, Justice Anthony Yeboah couldn’t distinguish between who is a member and an officer of the party. The learned Justice also failed to understand that an indefinite suspension of an officer of the party with a “definite term” of office is tantamount to removal. The learned Justice Yeboah deliberately confused himself on what the party’s National Council and the Council of Elders Katakyie Kwame Poku was, as he ended up aiding the Council of Elders with the exclusive powers of the party’s National Council which resulted in a collateral impairment to the ruling. This is just not right”, the constitutional lawyer stated.

He backed the decision by Mr. Paul Afoko to seek an appeal at the highest level in the face of this contrived “Political Judgment” since in his view, the court action is to save the constitution of the party and not to the benefit of Chairman Afoko or any individual.

Katakyie Kwame Poku took a swipe at the Chairman of Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee Professor Mike Ocquaye over the “confession” comments he made on other media platforms.

“If Professor Ocquaye cared a little about unity in diversity as the ingredient which has eluded the party ever since Nana Akufo-Addo took over the party from President Kufour in 2007, he would have used such a rare opportunity to extend an olive branch to aggrieved persons as any elder would do, and not the trading of mischievous comments which only seeks to inflame passion.”

The lawyer added that, he was now convinced some elders in the party make exploits from the deep seated divisions within the party.

“I am now convinced over what Kwabena Agyepong said some time ago that, some elders of the party exploit some ventures out of the recurring division in the party”