The Court of Appeal in Koforidua has directed that legal processes concerning the ongoing election petition against former Hohoe MP, Mr. John-Peter Amewu, be served through substituted service after multiple failed attempts to reach him personally.
According to the court’s order, the legal documents must be posted on the notice boards of the Koforidua Court of Appeal, Hohoe High Court, and Ho High Court, as well as on the gates of Mr. Amewu’s residence in Hohoe. The case is scheduled for hearing on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 9:00 AM at the Court of Appeal in Koforidua. The court warned that if any party fails to appear when the appeal is called, proceedings will continue in their absence.
The legal dispute stems from a December 2020 petition filed by five residents of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi, and Likpe (SALL), who argued that their exclusion from the parliamentary election that led to Mr. Amewu’s victory was unfair.
However, in July 2024, the Ho High Court dismissed the case, citing a lack of jurisdiction. Following this setback, the petitioners, led by their spokesperson Mr. George Bright Anni Bansah, vowed to pursue an appeal rather than seeking an interpretation from the Supreme Court.
On March 5, 2025, the petitioners carried out the Court of Appeal’s order by serving the substituted service at the designated locations, including Mr. Amewu’s residence. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr. Bansah claimed that the move was necessary, alleging that Mr. Amewu had been “evading service for a very long time.”
Meanwhile, tensions flared in Hohoe shortly after the service was completed. A confrontation erupted between members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Hohoe Communication Director of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who was accused of recording them. The scuffle underscored the political sensitivity of the case, as both parties remain deeply invested in the outcome of the legal battle.
With the case now set for an appeal hearing, the legal and political implications of the ruling could have a lasting impact on electoral representation in the Hohoe constituency.
