Ousted Member of Parliament for Assin Central, James Gyakye Quayson was in high spirits on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 after an Accra High Court ruled that he could be absent for a day from his criminal trial as he campaigns for a by-election slated for June 27.
The MP, whose records have been expunged from the records of parliament per a Supreme Court ruling, told journalists that he remained positive about the case adding, “people with conscience know what is going on.”
In a Metro TV video sighted by GhanaWeb, Quayson said: “I am not going to say anything, you know my people are excited, you saw them on the roadside,” in response to a question about his expectations from the people of Assin North.
He walks through the car park and meets his lawyer, Tsatsu Tsikata before the two exchange hugs and pleasantries, as Quayson referred to Tsikata as “senior,” adding that he will reach out later.
Court to rule on day-to-day hearing
The High Court has set June 23, 2023, to rule on whether or not to suspend the ongoing criminal trial of Gyakye Quayson.
It, however, indicated that Gyakye Quayson was permitted to be absent from the hearing on Friday.
This comes after the lawyers of the ousted MP filed an application to challenge the ruling of the High Court that stated that his criminal trial would be heard on a daily basis, on Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
Gyakye Quayson, through his lawyer, applied to the High Court for a review of the ruling on constitutional grounds.
The lawyer of Quayson argued that the ruling of the court was made after an oral application without notice to the accused person which is against good practices.
Assin North: Court dispenses Gyakye Quayson; says his presence in the courthouse is not needed until the by-elections are completed#MetroNews pic.twitter.com/vv54eoV8po
— . (@metrotvgh) June 21, 2023
Background:
The High Court in Accra, on Friday (June 18, 2023), ruled that the ongoing criminal trial of ousted Assin North Member of Parliament, James Gyakye Quayson, will be heard daily starting from Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
This was after the presiding judge, Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh, turned down an application for the trial to be adjourned till after the by-election.
The Court has since fixed June 20, 21, and 23 for the trial to continue.
Quayson was recently ousted from parliament after the Supreme Court of Ghana ruled that he was ineligible to contest in the 2020 parliamentary election because he failed to renounce his Canadian citizenship in time.
But there is still one case the former MP has to face in court after the Office of the Attorney General accused him of deceiving public officers to acquire state documents.
On February 12, 2022, the State charged James Gyakye Quayson with five counts; deceit of a public officer, forgery of a passport, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury, and false declaration.
Source: ghanaweb.com
