Election petition: Dominic Ayine apologises over contempt comments

His apology came after the court asked him to do so.

"I have looked at what I said that day and I have come to the conclusion that I went overboard, I crossed the line with respect to the remarks that I made," Dr. Ayine told the media on Monday, February 22, 2021.

According to him, he has realised the error and admits he is wrong and had been wrong, and deeply regrets the harm done to his profession.

He said was sorry for what he has done, remorseful, and deeply regrets.

On Tuesday, February 16, 2021, after the court held that the petitioner could not reopen his case, Dr. Ayine said specifically that the judges had a "predetermined agenda" against John Mahama who filed the petition.

Dr. Ayine said he did not understand why the court dismissed the petitioner's application to reopen his case to enable him to subpoena the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa.

The Supreme Court took judicial notice of his comment, cited him for contempt, and subsequently summoned him for the quasi-criminal process.

Chief Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah on Monday, February 22, 2021, said: "Dr. Ayine, please you have been summoned here by this court to show cause why you should not be committed for contempt."

He said on February 16, 2021, "you [Ayine] made certain statements that were very, very scandalous of the court."

"We've exercise restraint in invoking our jurisdiction to always be committing people for contempt for obvious reasons. The other time, I think you were here when I drew the attention of Mr. Frank Davies, Lawyer [Yaw] Oppong, then Marietta [Brew Appiah Opong], the learned former Attorney-General, I drew their attention and they stopped. But then from nowhere, you also jumped unto the fray and you made certain scandalous statements which the bench thought it was least expected of somebody who held a very high office, as the leader of the bar when the Attorney-General was not present," he said.