Mr. Bernard Allotey Jacobs, a former NDC Central Regional Chairman, has slammed retired Supreme Court Judge, William Atuguba, for wading into what he terms “controversies” regarding his comment on the court’s judgement in a case involving the Assin North lawmaker, James Gyakye Quayson.
Justice William Atuguba, speaking at a public lecture on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, described the court’s verdict as “scandalous”.
“The James Gyakye Quayson’s decision by the Supreme Court is with all due respect scandalous in that the court, in the teeth of the settled maxim Res Judicata et non quieta movere, re adjudicated the same matter that has been adjudicated upon by the High court on the merits.”
“The Supreme Court does not stand in good light with all due respect in disqualifying Gyakye Quayson, despite his clear certificate of renunciation of his Canadian citizenship as from 26th November 2020 whereas the elections were on December 7. I am not able to see substantial justice in this”, he said.
He added; “If the certificate of renunciation is so mandatory and conclusive why was it not conclusive in its effect to qualify Gyakye Quason when he received it, dated 26th November 2020, whereas the parliamentary election was held on 7th December 2020? Statutes, judgements, and documents must always be applied with consistency both in the letter and spirit. These must always be construed holistically and as instruments of justice since it is a well-settled principle that the duty of a court is to do justice and a court should not be turned away from doing justice.”
Reacting to these comments, Allotey Jacobs found it difficult understanding why a man of high reputation and someone who has gained popularity as a “no-nonsense man” in the law fraternity would make such statements.
He wondered if Justice Atuguba seeks to become a Running Mate on the ticket of the opposition National Democratic Congress, hence making such statements to gain their favor.
“Does he want to be a Running Mate to the leading opposition flagbearer?”, he questioned while touching on the matter during Peace FM’s morning show “Kokrokoo”.
Source: Peacefmonline
