Press Statement: Nana Oye Lithur defends herself following Victoria Hammah’s leaked tape

• Posted on November 11, 2013
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Following the slip of conversation  of the sacked Deputy Communications Minister’s (Victoria Hammah) which had its way into the media, Nana Oye Lithur who is the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection has defended her portion of the conversation which had it that she was with the Judges of the Supreme Court before the Election Petition was dismissed.

Victoria Hammah was trying to tell the person she was on phone with how influential the Lithurs are in the country particularly Nana Oye Lithur.

The Minister who is not pleased which such hype has issued a press statement refuting what Victoria Hammah said. Below is the Press Statement:

PRESS STATEMENT BY HONOURABLE NANA OYE LITHUR ON ELECTION PETITION

My attention has been drawn to the headlines of the Friday November 8, 2013 edition of the Daily Guide newspaper which reads, “Victoria Hammah Drops Bomb; “Oye Lithur Saw Judges Before Verdict”. In the accompanying story, it was alleged that Ms. Victoria Hammah, the former Deputy Minister of Communication had said in a taped conversation that I had contacted and influenced judges who sat on the recent presidential election petition. Various media houses have repeated the allegation.

The allegation is untrue and preposterous. For the record, I do not have any sort of relationship with any of the judges who sat on the Petition, which would form the basis of any discussion or meeting with any of them in relation to it.

For the avoidance of doubt, I have never met, communicated or had any discussion with any judge with a view to influencing the outcome of the presidential election petition.

Anybody who has had the slightest acquaintance with me would have been astonished by the suggestion that I would attempt to subvert the course of justice by interfering with the judicial process. My professional life as a human rights lawyer and activist has been built around due process and insistence on the integrity of the Judiciary. I believe that is the surest way of protecting the rights I have fought for most of my working life.

The suggestion therefore that I would participate in compromising the Judiciary is utterly outrageous to me.

Signed

Honourable Nana Oye Lithur

Minister

Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection

Date 9th November, 2013.

Nana Kwesi Coomson and www.233times.net NewsDesk