Jomoro MP, Dorcas Afffo Toffey
A Sekondi High Court has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Jomoro MP, Dorcas Afffo Toffey, whose eligibility to contest the 2020 parliamentary election is being challenged on grounds of dual citizenship.
Presiding over the case, Sedina Agbemava made the declaration following the MPs absence from the hearing on Monday.
A contempt case was filed against Madam Toffey by Joshua Emuah Kofie, from Nuba-Mpataba in the constituency, when the MP allegedly failed to appear before the Registrar of the court to produce documents evidencing her supposed renunciation of her Ivorian citizenship as ordered by a Sekondi High Court.
Earlier this year, the NDC legislator was sued for allegedly possessing dual citizenship prior to the 2020 election.
Her qualification to represent the Jomoro constituency in Parliament was, therefore, challenged.
Although the embattled lawmaker filed a stay of execution of the High Court’s order for her to produce documents proving the renunciation of her alleged Ivorian citizenship, the application was dismissed in July.
NDC surprised
Meanwhile, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Western Region says it is surprised at the decision by the court to issue a bench warrant for the arrest of the MP.
Speaking to Citi News, the Western Regional Secretary of the NDC, Kirk Mensah, indicated that the MP would appear in court on Thursday since the case had been adjourned to December 9, 2021.
“The party is extremely surprised about yesterday’s (Monday) ruling. Prior to the sitting yesterday (Monday), the lawyer for our MP, Mr Edudzi Tamakloe, served notice to the court that because of other official engagements in the Court of Appeal, he wouldn’t be available in court. He thus wrote an official letter pleading that the case is adjourned, and the attached documents prove it.
“We were surprised that despite the lawyer’s appeal, which he attached letters to approve, the Judge ignored all the documents and made the judgment in issuing the warrant,” he stated.
He however assured supporters of the party that everything was under control.
