NDC Parliamentary Candidate charged for double registration is indisposed

Ntow Mathias Kwame, also known as Mathias Ntow, NDC Parliamentary Candidate for Aowin Constituency in Election 2008 was indisposed and could not open his defence at the Tarkwa Circuit Court on Tuesday.
     The court presided over by, Mr Samuel Obeng Diawuo, adjourned the case to December 10, for the accused to open his defence.
     This was after Mr Justice Adusa Opoku, Counsel for the accused had tendered a medical report signed by Dr Stephen Kpankpari, Medical Officer in-charge of Asakragwa Catholic Hospital to the court.
     He argued that in the interest of justice, the accused should be present in court for the case to continue and pleaded for an adjournment.
     Mr George Kpodo, a State Attorney, prosecuting however, expressed no doubt about the accused being sick but remarked that the report was vague.
     The accused who appeared before the court on November 26, this year for alleged double registration, pleaded not guilty and was granted GH¢5,000 bail with a surety to be justified.  
     Mr Kpodo, told the court that sometime in 2004, the accused a teacher at Enchi Training College registered at Winneba in the Central Region and was issued with voter identity card number 14489708 (GI).
     He said this year, the accused applied to the Electoral Commission to transfer his vote to Aowin to enable him contest the NDC Primaries.
     Mr Kpodo said during the recent limited registration exercise in August, 2008, it was alleged that the accused went to register again at Enchi and was issued with a voter identity card number 24329419 (HC) bearing the name Mathias Ntow.
     He said the Enchi Electoral Office detected the double registration and reported the case to the police for investigations.
     Mr Kpodo said when questioned, the accused replied that his name was Ntow Mathias Kwame and not Mathias Ntow.
     He said witnesses had testified that the accused registered at Enchi District Court Polling centre.
     Mr Emmaneul Banor, a Registration Officer, confirmed registering the accused, while Mr Kwesi Nipa, Convention People's Party (CPP) agent and Baffour Ntaa Mocher New Patriotic Party (NPP) agent have confirmed that the accused registered at the centre.
GNA