Family, partisan considerations clouded Justice Atuguba's judgment -Titus Glover

The ruling delivered by Supreme Court Justice, William Anaam Atuguba on the landmark election Petition was clouded by partisanship and his family ties to his cousin who is also Executive Secretary to President John Mahama, an NPP MP claims.

Nii Kwartei Titus Glover, New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Tema East speaking on Multi TV's AM Talk feels "vindicated" by Justice Atuguba's consistent opposition to the Petitioners from the opposition NPP during the hearing of a Presidential Election Petition. It showed that the presiding judge is sympathetic to the governing National Democratic Congress, the MP insisted.

He made this remark while condemning comments made by renowned lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata who accused another judge - Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah of allowing his ties to the NPP to influence his judgment. Tsatsu noted Justice Anin Yeboah was appointed by former President Kufour of the NPP. His comments have been roundly and severely condemned by political opponents, statesmen, religious and civil society groups. Tsatsu maintains he spoke the truth and dismissed calls on him to apologise.

Titus Glover disagreed with Tsatsu's claim explaining that there were certain rulings in which Justice Anin Yeboah joined other judges to rule against the Petitioners. But this cannot be said of Justice William Atuguba, he asserted.

"If you want to know who has been consistent on one line [against the Petitioners], it is Justice Atuguba, consistently and unchanged through to the end of this case", the Tema East MP charged.

He believes presiding judge Justice William Atuguba, an uncle of Raymond Atuguba, should have declined sitting on the Election Petition because of the possibility of his family ties affecting his work.

"I was the first person to raise the red flag against Justice Atuguba, that because of his relationship with Raymond, he should recuse himself from the case...now I have been vindicated".