The Panel of Judges are expected to give a ruling on an objection raised by Philip Addison, Counsel for the Petitioners to a document being tendered by Counsel for the third Respondent Tsatsu Tsikata.
On the last adjourned Addison said the document had not been exhibited to the court and should not be allowed to be tendered. Tsatsu insisted the document was taken from another document which the witness had already confirmed to the court.
The president of the panel deferred hearing to Monday to give a ruling.
1000 am The judges have taken their seat. Counsel for all sides introduce their team of lawyers to the bench.
Ruling
“The list of 32 sought to be tendered is based on questions and answers emanating from the exhibits to which it relates. That is a process fully gone through if the evidence relating to it is already on record the list thereto which is merely an index to the pink sheets covered by it is merely facilitatory for tracking the evidence already so covered. The objection to its tender is therefore overruled.”
Tsatsu tenders the document and begins to ask questions from the document. He begins by asking Bawumia to confirm if there is some duplication of some sorts.
Objection
Addison is up with an objection. He says Counsel cannot proceed to ask questions on a document that is not before the court. He says if it is the wish of the court for Tsikata to go ahead to ask questions of the witness on a document that is not before the court, he prays similar courtesies will be extended to the petitioners if the time comes. He sits.
Judges ask Tsikata to clarify the sort of document he has in his possession. He says the document are based on a list of exhibits provided by the witness and on which he has a number of questions to ask.
Judges over rule the objection. Tsikata continues. He asks Bawumia to confirm if there are duplications. Bawumia confirms there are duplications but adds it was used only once in his analysis.
Tsikata says he has another list to be tendered but asks for a short recess to enable the witness peruse the documents. He says the judges cannot be kept waiting. Atuguba throws the request to Addison. He accepts but wondered why the list was not given to them early in the morning before the court resumed sitting. Tsikata says there was no luxury of an alternative because he was awaiting the ruling by the court before he could tender another document.
1038 Atuguba grants the short recess.
1205 Court resumes
Tsikata tenders in a list of 25 pink sheet exhibits. Addison raises no objection. Lithur has no objection and Quarshie-Idun neither has any objection. List is tendered.
Bawumia is asked to peruse the list. Tsikata admits the list is long and will take time for it to be perused. By consensus, Addison and Tsikata agreed during the short recess that the hearing be adjourned to tomorrow to enable the witness properly peruse the documents.
Atuguba gives the court’s blessing to the agreement reached by the two parties but asks them to come with a calabash of palm-wine when hearing resumes tomorrow.
Hearing adjourned.
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