The Member of Parliament for the Jomoro constituency, Dorcas Affo-Toffey, has won the election petition case challenging her eligibility as an elected MP over her alleged Ivorian citizenship.
The Sekondi High Court presided by Justice Dr. Richmond Osei Hwere dismissed the petition and declared the MP eligible on the basis that she lost her Ivorian citizenship once she secured her Ghanaian Citizenship.
The application was filed by Joshua Emuah Kofie who challenged the MP’s eligibility to contest the parliamentary election on the ticket on NDC’s ticket.
The applicant had asserted that the MP was a dual citizen(American and Ivorian) which is in breach of the 1992 Constitution.
But the MP denied having American citizenship and claimed to have also renounced her Ivorian citizenship. She was later ordered by the Court to produce documents on her alleged renunciation of Ivorian citizenship.
However, Dorcas Affo-Toffey failed to satisfy the court’s order compelling the applicant to launch contempt proceedings against her after she failed to appear in court and furnish the court with the documents proving her renunciation of the alleged dual citizenship.
Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, counsel for the MP, pleaded with the court to strike out the contempt case and asked for forgiveness, noting his client had no intentions of disrespecting the orders of the court.
Counsel for the petitioner, Bright Okyere Agyekum asked the court to award a cost of GHC 20,000 against the MP for failing to obey the orders of the court and wasting their time before striking out the case of contempt.
The court presided by Justice Sedinam Agbemava subsequently struck out the case and awarded a cost of GH¢5000 against the MP after her lawyer pleaded for a reduction.