By Morkporkpor Anku
Accra, June 20, GNA – An Accra High Court hearing the trial of James Gyakye Quayson, the deposed Member of Parliament for Assin North, has fixed Wednesday, June 21 to hear a motion seeking to vary its decision to hear the case on a day-to-day basis.
The Court on Friday, June 18, 2023, ruled that the ongoing criminal trial of the former MP will be heard daily starting from Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
This came after the Court presided over by Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh, had turned down a prayer by Quayson’s lawyer, which sought to have the trial continued after the Assin North by-election scheduled for June 27, 2023.
The Lawyer argued that his client was embarking on a national duty in a bid to represent the people of Assin North in Parliament, hence the need to continue the trial after the by-election for Quayson to have a level playing field in the campaign.
However, the Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, opposed the prayer, explaining that nobody had given Quayson a national assignment.
He argued that considering the charges levelled against Quayson, he could be convicted and jailed if found guilty. Hence the need to try the case expeditiously to bring clarity on Quayson’s status.
On Tuesday, June 20, Mr Tsatsu Tsikata told the Court that they had filed a motion, which the Court then fixed Wednesday, June 21, 2023, to hear the motion.
Meanwhile, Mr Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, a Deputy-Attorney-General, told the Court that they had not received the motion filed by the accused person and would need till tomorrow Wednesday, June 21, 2023, to study the document and respond, accordingly.
He, therefore, prayed the Court to allow lawyers for the accused person to continue the cross-examination of Richard Takyi-Mensah, the first prosecution witness in the matter as agreed by the Court.
Mr Tsikata said the issues raised in the motion for variation preceded the proceedings, however, continuing with the trial would be an injustice to Mr Gyakye Quayson.
The Court then adjourned the trial to enable the prosecution to respond to the matter raised in the motion.
Dozens of sympathisers of the accused person were seen picketing at the forecourt of the High Court.
Big wigs of the National Democratic Congress present in Court to lend their support to Mr Gyakye Quayson included Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, a former running mate of former President John Dramani Mahama; Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, Former Attorney-General; Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North-Tongu; Kofi Adams; Baba Jamal; Betty Mould-Iddrisu; Helen Ntoso and Alex Segbefia.
The Supreme Court nullified Quayson’s election as the Member of Parliament for Assin North over holding Canadian citizenship alongside being a Ghanaian when he filed his nomination to contest the election in 2020.
He now faces charges of perjury and deceiving a public officer.
GNA