BAWKU MP TRIAL, DEFENCE CLOSES CASE

By Felix Engsalige Nyaaba

The criminal case involving the Bawku Central MP, Hon. Adamu Dramani Sankande, which has been in the court for about four years, yesterday finally reached its conclusion, after the defence have closed their case, for having called two witnesses into the trial.

The defence  team formally informed the court that the accused was no longer going to call any witness into the trial and has therefore closed it case.

 Following that, the presiding judge, Mr. Justice Charles Quist asked the court’s recording officers to make the record of proceeding available to all parties in the suit to enable them prepare their statements and address to the court.

The judge said, after the parties have obtained the record of proceeding, the court would then fix dates for the parties to file their respective address to court to deliver its judgment.

The state has called four witnesses into the case, including an officer from the Electoral commission at Bawku, an Migration officer also at Bawku, an officer from the Kotoka International Airport, Accra and the plaintiff, Mr. Sumaila Biebielle, the Cattle dealer who petitioned the state to investigate the accused person.

However, the defendant, Hon Adamu Dramani Sakande had also called in two witnesses, Marlon Praices Animpa, a friend and Stanley Jones, the legal consultant who assisted him to process his citizenship renouncing document at the Homes office at United Kingdom (UK).

During their testimony the two witnesses told the court that, so far as they are concern, Hon. Adamu Sakande has renounced his citizenship with the British before coming in to Ghana to contest for election into parliament as a Legislator.

 Hon. Adamu Dramani Sakande, the sitting MP for Bawku Central  was sometime in July, 2009, arraigned before the High court and charged with nine counts of criminal offence in relation to his multiple nationality.

He was initially charged with the crime of perjury, forgery of passport, election fraud and deceiving public officers to be elected as a Member of Parliament.

But along the trial, the court exonerated him on six of those charges, saying some of the charges were aberrant to the criminal laws of the country.

He was left with three of the charges for false declaration of office or voting, perjury and deceiving a public officer.

Mr. Emmanuel Yonni Kulendi and Mr. Isaac Egbert Faibelle have been the defence counsel for the accused, while Mr. Rexford Anthony Wiredu, a Principal State Attorney represents the state.

The trial judge, Mr. Justice Charles Quist, is expected to deliver his judgment on the case after receiving the address by the parties on or about March, this year.

Meanwhile the civil aspect of the same case is expected to be heard at the Supreme Court today.

The Supreme Court at the last sitting adjourned the case till today to give it ruling on an objection by the defence counsel that, it was illegal per the evidence degree of the court for the accused to open his defence before the plaintiff.

The objection by the defence was as a result of directives by the Supreme for the accused, Hon. Adamu Dramani Sakande to open his defence and confirm that, indeed he has renounced his citizenship before contesting for election in Ghana during the 2008 general elections.