|
The trial of Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata is said to be the most strongly battled and longest ever involving a former government official in the history of Ghana's judicial process. Soon after the case was opened in 2002, some sections of the Ghanaian public read politics into it, arguing that it was politically motivated. On 18th June 2008, the presiding judge Mrs Henrietta Abban passed judgment, convicting Tsatsu to a five year jail term after over six years of trial. Quickly, news spread like wild fire to every part of the country. Officials of the NDC including the former President Rawlings thronged the court to sympathise with Tsatsu.
Participants were given this opportunity to comment on the case and the outcome of the discussion did not differ in any way from the public discussions. Those sympathetic to the ruling party argued that the trial was a victory for the judicial process while opposition sympathisers were of the view that the verdict was a slap in the face of justice since it was politically manipulated. They argued that there was a case pending at the Supreme Court whose outcome could substantially influence the nature and form of the case and that it was premature for the judge to pass sentence at this stage of the trial. Tsatsu has since appealed against the ruling. However, it was remarkable how respectful participants engaged in the discussion.
The Political Café is an initiative of the Youth Network for Human Rights and Democracy (you-net) and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), to bring together the alumni of the Youth Leadership Training Programme (YLTP) to work together on topical issues of national concern as youth. Over one hundred alumni of the YLTP are visibly playing various leadership roles in all fields including politics, business and social development. The Political Café seeks to promote networking, sharing experiences and ideas on issues of personal and national development. The meetings are held on a monthly basis on the last Thursday of every month.
|
