Gloria Akuffo Hits Hard At Tsatsu Tsikata

Speaking to Joy FM, a Counsel for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Madam Gloria Akuffo has expressed her disapproval over the choice of words by the NDC lead Counsel, Tsatsu Tsikata. According to her, it was not in a proper taste for Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata to refer to her client as dishonest since in the context of the law, Dr. Bawumia had the right to give a clear-cut answer to the questions posed to him. She explained that the law permits Dr. Bawumia to give a yes or no answer to Mr. Tsikata�s cross examination and so, for him to have labeled her client as being dishonest in the answers was not appropriate. �The rules permit that you can answer yes or no and if there is any additional explanation within the context of the question, you may add it. And then, he tries to shout at him and also to try to drown the additional response that he is making; he had occasion to make complaints about that,� she said. Again, the law frowns on any action by the lead Counsel �to harass, to abuse or anyway try to intimidate a witness� because the witness deserves to �be treated with all the dignity that he or she deserves.� She described as �offensive� the choice of words by lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata in his cross examination and this was why the petitioners� Counsel raised an objection. In her concluding remarks, Madam Gloria Akuffo exclaimed that such words were �offensive. It was contrary to the law. It is not permissible that the witness be called a dishonest person and on that score, we took an objection to his using such words.� It can be recalled last Monday, May 6, 2013 saw two lead counsels for the petitioners and respondents in the ongoing election case at the Supreme Court exchange words during the cross examination of key witness Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. Counsel for the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Tsatsu Tsikata asked the lead Counsel for the petitioners, Philip Addison to �shut up� when the latter interrupted his cross examination. Lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata blurted out in the full glare of the court these words; �Can you shut up?� to register his displeasure with the attitude of Mr. Addison. The outburst came as a result of attempts by Mr. Addison to object to the NDC legal team member�s line of questioning of Dr. Bawumia regarding the number of people who were present when the Commissioner of Oaths deposed the petitioners to their affidavit. Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata in his cross examination also sought to remind the key witness of his honesty to the court and so, testing his credibility was said to have referred to Dr. Bawumia as dishonest in his evidence.