Tsatsu Tsikata
{{short description|Ghanaian academic and lawyer (born 1950)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1950|10|01|df=y}}
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| nationality = Ghanaian
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| education = University of Ghana
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
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| spouse = Esther Cobbah
| children = 3
| parents = Godwin Kwaku-Sru Tsikata
| relations = Kojo Tsikata (uncle)
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Tsatsu Tsikata (born on 1 October 1950) is a Ghanaian academic and lawyer. He is also a former chief executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation. He is a notable affiliate and legal counsel to the National Democratic Congress and regarded as one of the leading members of the political party.{{Cite web |title=Tsatsu Tsikata, Biography |url=https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/person/Tsatsu-Tsikata-4106 |access-date=2023-07-21 |website=mobile.ghanaweb.com}}
Early life and education
{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}Tsikata was born in Keta in the south of the Volta Region of Ghana.{{cite web |url=http://freetsatsu.com/PT.html |title=PROFILE:The UNICORN- A Brilliant Performance |accessdate=2009-12-08 |publisher=Free Tsatsu Tsikata Now Campaign |quote=If the record of scholarship holders is up to date you will notice that Tsatsu was born on first October 1950 at Keta and will therefore be 19 on 1st October 1969, and not 20 as incorrectly published in the Graphic. |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210135548/http://freetsatsu.com/PT.html |archivedate=10 February 2009 |df=dmy-all }} He was however brought up in Adabraka, a suburb of Accra, the capital of Ghana. He started school at an early age because he wanted to follow his older brother Fui to school. He first attended Additrom Preparatory School and then Mrs Sam's Preparatory School, a school also attended by former President of Ghana Jerry Rawlings. He was again moved to Accra Newtown Experimental School, where he was jumped from Year 2 to Year 3, catching up with his older brother Fui.{{cite web |url=http://freetsatsu.com/THREE.html |title=PROFILE:From The Junior Graphic |accessdate=2009-12-08 |author=Augustina Tawiah |work=Junior Graphic |publisher=Free Tsatsu Tsikata Now Campaign |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210041157/http://freetsatsu.com/THREE.html |archivedate=10 February 2009 |df=dmy-all }} He won a United Africa Company (UAC) scholarship in 1960 to start his secondary education at the age of nine at the Mfantsipim School where his father and his elder brother, Fui Sokpoli Tsikata also attended.{{cite web |url=http://freetsatsu.com/letters&articles/Unknown%20Author.pdf |title=Free Tsatsu Tsikata Campaign |author=Unknown |publisher=Free Tsatsu Tsikata Campaign |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711035338/http://freetsatsu.com/letters%26articles/Unknown%20Author.pdf |archivedate=11 July 2011 |df=dmy-all }} On completion of his five-year course, he gained admission into the University of Ghana, Legon, at the age of 14, where he obtained an LL.B First Class degree at the age of 18 years. Only one other 18-year-old had completed a degree programme at that time. His lecturers included Professor Ofosu Amaah and Dr. Obed Asamoah, a former foreign minister and Attorney General of Ghana. He then won a post-graduate scholarship from the University of Ghana to Oxford University where he again obtained first class honours in Bachelor of Civil Law which is equivalent to a master's degree at other British universities.
Career
=Academic=
Tsikata held a Junior Research Fellowship at Corpus Christi College Oxford University where he also served as a tutor.{{cite web |url=http://freetsatsu.com/TWO.html |title=PROFILE:Biography |accessdate=2009-12-08 |publisher=Free Tsatsu Tsikata Campaign |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210135553/http://freetsatsu.com/TWO.html |archivedate=10 February 2009 |df=dmy-all }} {{Cite web |title=Tsatsu Tsikata, Biography |url=https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/person/Tsatsu-Tsikata-4106 |access-date=2023-07-21 |website=mobile.ghanaweb.com}}{{Cite web |title=Tsatsu Tsikata {{!}} University of Ghana Alumni Relations Office |url=https://ar.ug.edu.gh/tsatsu-tsikata |access-date=2023-07-21 |website=ar.ug.edu.gh}} On his return to Ghana in 1974, he was appointed a lecturer at the law faculty of the University of Ghana. Some of his students included Kwamena Ahwoi, Alban Bagbin, former majority leader in the Parliament of Ghana and current speaker of the 8th parliament of Ghana, almost all the justices of the current Supreme Court of Ghana including Justice Victor Mawulom Dotse, the Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, Justice Yaw Appau,{{Cite web |title=Tsatsu Tsikata, Biography |url=https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/person/Tsatsu-Tsikata-4106 |access-date=2023-07-21 |website=mobile.ghanaweb.com}} former majority leader in the Parliament of Ghana and Freddie Blay, former first deputy speaker in the Parliament of Ghana.{{Cite web |title=Tsatsu Tsikata {{!}} University of Ghana Alumni Relations Office |url=https://ar.ug.edu.gh/tsatsu-tsikata |access-date=2023-07-21 |website=ar.ug.edu.gh}}
=Barrister=
Tsikata has served as counsel to a number of notable personalities over the years. These include Captain Kojo Tsikata, his cousin, Kofi Awoonor and President Jerry Rawlings in 1979. During the era of the National Redemption Council/Supreme Military Council military regimes of Acheampong, he defended Samuel Okudjeto and William Ofori Atta who stood trial for political reasons. After the 15 May Uprising in 1979, he was counsel for Jerry Rawlings during the treason trial that came to an abrupt end when the SMC military government led by Fred Akuffo was overthrown on 4 June 1979. He was the lead Counsel for the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in an electoral petition in Ghana.
He was the lead counsel for the NDC during the first ever electoral petition trial filed by the opposition New Patriotic Party challenging the results of the 2012 elections.{{cite web|title=Citifmonline | Most comprehensive and credible Political, Business, Sports, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Health and General news website in Ghana|url=http://www.citifmonline.com/?id=1.1389767|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006145611/http://www.citifmonline.com/?id=1.1389767|archivedate=6 October 2014|accessdate=2013-05-31|df=dmy-all}} The NDC filed a joinder to be the third respondent of this case.
[http://www.ghanaweb.com%20›%20News%20›%202013-01-23 www.ghanaweb.com › News › 2013-01-23]{{Dead link|date=March 2019|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}
He was the lead counsel for John Mahama in the 2020 election petition against the electoral commission and the president.{{Cite web|title=Election Petition: EC 'running away' from cross-examination - Tsikata alleges - MyJoyOnline.com|url=https://www.myjoyonline.com/election-petition-ec-running-away-from-cross-examination-tsikata-alleges/|access-date=2021-02-11|website=www.myjoyonline.com|date=8 February 2021 |language=en-US}}
Ghana National Petroleum Corporation
Tsikata was appointed the Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) from October 1988 to December 2000 by the then ruling NDC led by Jerry Rawlings.
=Trial, jail and pardon=
Tsikata was tried for causing financial loss of GH¢230,000 to the state whilst CEO of Ghana National Petroleum Company after a trial through the Accra Fast Track Tribunal, one of many set up by the Kufuor government to try such cases. The trial started in 2002 and lasted for six years. He was pronounced guilty on 18 June 2008 by Mrs. Justice Hernrietta Abban.{{cite news |url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=145536 |title=Tsikata Gets 5 Years! |accessdate=2009-12-16 |work=GhanaWeb |date=18 June 2008 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080626152556/http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=145536 |archivedate=26 June 2008 |df=dmy-all }} The length of the trial is reputed to be the longest ever involving a former government official in the history of the country. Those loyal to President Kufuor's New Patriotic Party government hailed this as a triumph for the judicial system while Tsikata's sympathizers and National Democratic Congress supporters saw the trial as politically motivated.{{cite web |url=http://fesghana.org/pages/more/more_35/political_cafe.htm |title=Political Café - The Trial and Conviction of Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata: Any Implications for Political Polarisation and the Electioneering Campaign for December 2008? |accessdate=2009-12-16 |publisher=Friedrich Ebert Foundation |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726052004/http://fesghana.org/pages/more/more_35/political_cafe.htm |archivedate=26 July 2011 |df=dmy-all }} This led to the formation of the "Free Tsatsu Movement".{{cite web |url=http://www.freetsatsu.com/ |title=Free Tsatsu Tsikata Now |accessdate=2009-12-16 |publisher=Free Tsatsu Movement |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227070533/http://freetsatsu.com/ |archivedate=27 February 2009 |df=dmy-all }} He was granted an unconditional pardon by the then President John Kufuor on his last day of office after his party, the New Patriotic Party lost the Ghanaian presidential election, 2008. At the time, he was on admission at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital under prison guard following a severe bout of asthma.{{cite news |url=http://news.myjoyonline.com/news/200901/24703.asp |title=Tsatsu Tsikata Freed! |accessdate=2009-12-16 |date=2009-01-06 |publisher=MyJoyOnline |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107234952/http://news.myjoyonline.com/news/200901/24703.asp |archivedate=7 January 2009 |df=dmy-all }} Tsatsu Tsikata rejected the presidential pardon and announced at a forum later that he felt the pardon was not in good faith and that he would fight through the court system to clear his name.{{cite news |url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=156605 |title=The pardon was not in good faith - Tsikata |accessdate=2009-12-16 |work=GhanaWeb |date=23 January 2009 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927023757/http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=156605 |archivedate=27 September 2012 |df=dmy-all }}{{cite news |url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=158258 |title=File submissions on Tsatsu's Presidential Pardon |accessdate=2009-12-16 |work=GhanaWeb |date=25 February 2009 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927023803/http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=158258 |archivedate=27 September 2012 |df=dmy-all }}
=Bail, appeal and exoneration=
After rejecting the presidential pardon, by 13 January 2009, Tsikata was granted bail by Justice Edward Amoako Asante at an Accra Fast-Track high court pending appeal meaning he was no longer required to be in jail although he was still admitted at the hospital due to his asthmatic attack.{{Cite web|title=Tsikata: I Never Relied On Kufuor Pardon, I Was Granted Bail|url=https://www.modernghana.com/news/868680/tsikata-i-never-relied-on-kufuor-pardon-i-was.html|access-date=2021-01-18|website=Modern Ghana|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Tsatsu granted bail - MyJoyOnline.com|url=https://www.myjoyonline.com/tsatsu-granted-bail/|access-date=2021-01-18|website=www.myjoyonline.com|date=13 January 2009 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Tsatsu Gets Bail|url=https://www.modernghana.com/news/198531/tsatsu-gets-bail.html|access-date=2021-01-18|website=Modern Ghana|language=en}} After 8 years of being charged with causing financial loss to the state, on 30 November 2016, he was declared innocent by an Appeals Court presided over by Justice Dennis Adjei and his 5-year jail term was quashed.{{Cite web|date=2016-11-30|title=Tsatsu is innocent; Conviction & 5-year jail term quashed|url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Tsatsu-is-innocent-Conviction-5-year-jail-term-quashed-491164|access-date=2021-01-18|website=www.ghanaweb.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2016-11-30|title=Tsatsu Tsikata 'not guilty' of causing financial loss – Court of Appeal|url=https://citifmonline.com/2016/11/tsatsu-tsikata-not-guilty-of-causing-financial-loss-court-of-appeal/|access-date=2021-01-18|website=Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=AfricaNews|date=2 December 2016|title=Ghana court rules that top politician was unjustly jailed in 2008|url=https://www.africanews.com/2016/12/02/ghana-court-rules-that-top-politician-was-unjustly-jailed-in-2008/|access-date=2021-01-18|website=Africanews|language=en}}
Personal and social life
Tsikata is Christian and an elder of the Asbury Dunwell Church in Accra. He is a known asthmatic and this appears to have limited his extracurricular activities and school attendance as a child. After he was jailed in 2008, he had an acute asthmatic attack that took him from the Nsawam prisons to intensive care. Tsikata has been a keen cricketer in the past.
=Family=
Tsikata is one of seven siblings.{{cite web|title=Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata|url=http://www.africa-confidential.com/whos-who-profile/id/1164/|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205045635/http://www.africa-confidential.com/whos-who-profile/id/1164|archivedate=5 December 2010|accessdate=2009-12-08|publisher=Africa Confidential|df=dmy-all}} His father was Godwin Kwaku-Sru Tsikata, a retired Textiles Sales Manager with the United Africa Corporation (UAC). He is married to Esther Cobbah
{{cite web|author=Kwasi Adu|date=2009-11-29|title=Is The President Listening?|url=http://news.peacefmonline.com/features/200911/33047.php|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715060715/http://news.peacefmonline.com/features/200911/33047.php|archivedate=15 July 2011|accessdate=2009-12-08|publisher=PeaceFm Online|df=dmy-all}}
{{Cite web|title=IPRA {{!}} Esther COBBAH|url=https://www.ipra.org/users/ecobbah-stratcom/|access-date=2021-02-12|website=www.ipra.org}} and they have three children. Award-winning Ghanaian musician, M.anifest, is one of his children.M.anifest{{Cite web|date=2020-08-11|title=I wish I had creative skills to do music like my son -Tsatsu Tsikata|url=https://thechronicle.com.gh/i-wish-i-had-creative-skills-to-do-music-like-my-son-tsatsu-tsikata/|access-date=2021-01-18|website=The Chronicle Online|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2015-09-11|title=I'm proud of M.anifest - Tsatsu Tsikata lauds son|url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/entertainment/I-m-proud-of-M-anifest-Tsatsu-Tsikata-lauds-son-381216|access-date=2021-01-18|website=www.ghanaweb.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=CitiTube|first=CitiTv|date=17 December 2015|title=Tsatsu Tsikata opens up about his son M.anifest|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5c2VtW7ovg&fbclid=IwAR2sgCFumVqbHiizmjmjuUrbiUJuobRDZWl9UaCrC1otgMgh83Lg3BdX9jY|access-date=18 January 2021|website=YouTube}} His older brother Fui Tsikata is also a well known lawyer in Ghana as is his sister Doe Tsikata.{{cite web |title=People {{!}} DLA Piper Africa, Ghana {{!}} Reindorf Chambers |url=https://www.dlapiperafrica.com/en/ghana/people/ |website=DLA Piper Africa |publisher=DLA Piper |access-date=16 December 2021 |language=en}} He also has another brother Dotse Tsikata.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/dossier.php?ID=22 DOSSIER: Tsikata-GNPC Case on Ghanaweb]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgTxhT864DY Exclusive With Tsatsu Tsikata - The Pulse on JoyNews]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GstcxEtBXJQ HOT ISSUES Tsatsu Tsikata Interview]
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Category:University of Ghana alumni
Category:Mfantsipim School alumni
Category:Alumni of Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Category:Academic staff of the University of Ghana
Category:20th-century Ghanaian lawyers
Category:National Democratic Congress (Ghana) politicians