Opinions of Wednesday, 10 July 2013
Columnist: Jackson, Margaret
… And Scores “Mouth Foul” Goal
By Margaret Jackson
July 9, 2013
Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, a bail lawyer who also doubles as the General Secretary of the NPP needs no introduction because of his foul infested mouth which he constantly uses to prickle everything or anyone who stands in his way. He may be gunning to become the future Hall of Famer in “Gutter Talk” because most of the things he spews out leaves most people including even staunch NPP supporters shaking their heads in disbelief.
Owusu Afriyie, who is also known as Sir John, has a cunning way of twisting facts in the on-going Supreme Court (SC) challenge to the results of the 2012 Presidential Election just to keep the hopes of the NPP base alive.
And Owusu Afriyie has performed this task very religiously to the extent that he even failed to take into account the final touchline warning issued by the SC to those who comment on the petition case. I promise you that if you hear the tape in which Owusu Afriyie made some contemptuous remarks after Sammy Awuku, a deputy Communications Director of the NPP had been banned from appearing in court by the SC, you will understand why Sir John faces imminent danger at the SC.
Sir John not only demeaned the SC but described the face of Justice William Atuguba, the Presiding Judge of the SC petition case in unpalatable language. If you have a father or even an uncle who has risen to such a position in society you will not stand by and watch Sir John muddy his nose in the gutters. That is an unacceptable behaviour from someone who claims to be a lawyer and a general secretary of the biggest opposition party in the country.
I have listened to the tape in which Owusu Afriyie who spoke in Twi stated in an unambiguous clear voice that, “Do they think we are stupid? You sit there and frown like a voodoo deity. When Addison is talking you shut him down and beat him with sticks but when it comes to Tsatsu, when he gets angry you ask him apologetically if he is angry. What hurts me the most is that man you call Atugubu or Atuguba”.
The NPP’s General Secretary stated that Justice Atuguba is laughable and pampering Mr Tsatsu Tsikata while portraying a stone-cold face on Philip Addison, the NPP’s lead counsel.
On the tape, Owusu Afriyie further expressed his utmost anger with Justice Atuguba for daring to ask Mr Philip Addison if he’s done with his cross-examination of Dr Afari Gyan. “Why does he keep on asking Addison if he’s done with the cross-examination? If he’s done won’t he tell you? If he’s done he’s the one who will tell you”, he added.
Sir John accused President John Mahama of being a thief and asked a rhetorical question, “Didn’t he steal the election”? He further stated that the NDC is looking for a re-run of the election.
He lambasted the justices of the SC for listening to the radio and reading the newspapers and stated that that is not what members of the House of Lords in the United Kingdom do. He, therefore, scolded members of the SC in these words, “Stop reading the newspapers and listening to the radio and concentrate on the case”.
He also berated the justices for scolding Dr Bawumia during his cross-examination and wondered why they told Bawumia that the SC petition case is not an IEA debate or political platform. He ended by warning Justice Atuguba to be “very careful”.
These are the words of Owusu Afriyie, and I am wondering why he is now claiming that the tape has been doctored. I thought this man, Sir John, who claims to be a tough guy, will stand by his words and face the consequences. But it seems he has started to play chicken feed.
No one knows what the SC is going to do, but Owusu Afriyie has to be shown that no one is above the law. The NPP folks always portray that they are pillars of democracy and defenders of the law but when it comes to breaking the law with impunity, you will not find them wanting.
Sir John finally crossed the SC “final touchline” and his bad mouthing of the justices was very telling. He said other things which I cannot put on paper, but anybody who listens to the tape will agree with me that indeed he crossed the line.
We live to see how the issue will unfold at the SC, as Sir John is called to answer for his bogus comments. Even though the case is yet to be determined Sir John was calling President Mahama a thief, a highly contemptuous charge.
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