Justice Dotse: I was never NPP Regional Chairman

One of the justices of the Supreme Court sitting on the NPP’s petition seeking to nullify the declaration of John Mahama as winner of the December poll has vehemently denied allegations he was a member of the New Patriotic Party prior to his induction into the judiciary.
Justice James Dotse issued the denial in open court, Wednesday, when the court sat to hear the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC’s) motion for joinder to the petition as a respondent.
Last week allegations were rife about the Judges’ leanings to the NPP with some members of the NDC claiming he [Dotse] was the NPP Volta Regional Chairman of the NPP.
The NDC members threatened they would demand that the judge recused himself from the controversial election petition case if the NPP went ahead with its threat to ask Justice Williams Atuguba to recuse himself from the case.
The NPP had raised objections to the composition of the panel to hear the joinder application and demanded an in-camera hearing to point out their objections. They were however asked to make a formal application to the court.
Even though the petitioners did not name exactly which of the justices they had problems with, speculations were rife that the NPP did not want Justice William Atuguba to sit on the case because his cousin, Dr. Raymond Atuguba had been appointed as Executive Secretary to president John Mahama who is a respondent to the Election Petition.
Counsel for the petitioners later withdrew the objection paving the way for Court to continue with the joinder application hearing.
When the court was convened to hear the case, Justice James Dotse told the open court, he at no time was a member of the NPP.
He said the claims that he was a Regional Chairman of the NPP were untrue and challenged anybody to prove the allegation, adding he will recuse himself if any evidence is brought before the court.
He said neither he nor the bench would be intimidated by unfounded allegations.
 
Source: Myjoyonline