President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has dismissed a petition by Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability to have the Electoral Commission’s Chairperson, Jean Mensah removed from office over her failure to comply with the asset declaration law.
A statement from the office of the president signed by secretary to the president, Nana Asante Bediatuo said the Chief Justice has determined that the petition did not establish any prima facie case against the EC chairperson that would necessitate her dismissal from office.
The statement explained that the determination by the Chief Justice is based on the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) investigation which did not establish any criminal findings against the Chairperson and the absence of a statutory law in the constitution that criminalizes the non-declaration of assets within the stipulated time.
“The Chief Justice found that the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) did not make any finding that the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs. Jean Adukwei Mensa, had committed criminal offence. Furthermore, the Chief Justice did not find any statute that criminalises the non-declaration of assets within the stipulated time in the constitution. The Chief Justice then determined that no prima facie case had been made by your petition to warrant the impeachment of the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs. Jean Adukwei Mensa” the state said.
The determination was made following a referral of the petition by the presidency to the office of the Chief Justice.
While informing the petitioners of the dismissal of the petition, it reiterated that “In any event, CHRAJ did not make any adverse findings against the Chairperson as the investigation was terminated and the complaint dismissed after the Chairperson declared her assets on 17th February 2020.”
ASEPA petitioned the president in June for removal of the EC Chairperson, Mrs. Jean Mensa after CHRAJ established that she had not filed her asset declaration upon assumption of office as spelt by the law.
Though CHRAJ said the EC Chairperson later filed her assets declaration after the complaint filed by ASEPA was brought to her attention, ASEPA insisted that her non-compliance of the law within the stipulated time constitute a breach of the provision. It therefore petitioned the president for Mrs. Mensa’s removal threatening a legal action should the president failed to refer same to the office of the Chief Justice.
