By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, July 19, GNA – The Minority Caucus in Parliament, Wednesday expressed dismay with the Court of Appeal’s dismissal of Mr James Gyakye Quayson, a National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Assin North’s stay of proceedings application.
The legal team of Mr Quayson appealed to the High Court’s decision to try the Member of Parliament (MP) daily.
However, the Court of Appeal on Tuesday, July 18 dismissed the application giving room for a daily trial of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP.
A statement signed by Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza, the Minority Chief Whip, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, has therefore challenged the effects of the daily trial and the implications it would have on the MP serving his constituents.
It said: “The Caucus will explore all options available to it to defend one of its colleagues.”
Mr Quayson is standing trial for perjury, forgery and other counts of criminal nature about his Ghanaian passport and eligibility to contest in the 2020 Elections.
The Republic’s case against Mr Quayson was that he had allegedly lied on his passport application form filled out on July 26 that he was not a dual citizen and that he held only Ghanaian citizenship.
This was even though he was yet to renounce his Canadian citizenship issued on 30th October 2016.
Further to this infraction against the law, it is alleged that Mr Quayson also submitted forms to the Electoral Commission declaring that he only held allegiance to the Republic of Ghana.
This was despite knowing that the application to renounce his Canadian citizenship had not yet been granted by the time he filed his eligibility papers with the electoral commission on or between October 5 and 9 2020.
Mr Richard Takyi, a resident of Yamoransa in the Central Region prayed the High Court in Cape Coast to cancel Mr Quayson’s electoral victory because he was not eligible to have taken part in the elections.
The matter proceeded to the Supreme Court which upheld the ruling of the Cape Coast court.
The apex court of the land subsequently ordered Mr Quayson to be removed from Parliament occasioning a by-election.
The NDC, despite the criminal prosecution he faced, presented him as their candidate for the election which he won.
He has since been re-sworn in as the MP for Assin North while his trial proceeds.
Meanwhile, the Minority Caucus in Parliament has boycotted Parliamentary sitting three times to enable them to solidarise with their colleague, Mr Quayson.
According to the Caucus, the boycott would enable them to accompany Mr Quayson to the Court.
The group had two weeks ago informed Mr Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, that they would not be taking part in the business of the House on the day that their three colleagues, who were standing trials, would appear in Court.
The three include Mr James Gyakye Quayson, the MP for Assin North, Mr Collins Dauda, the MP for Asutifi South and Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, the Minority Leader and MP for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam.
GNA