Embattled Assin North MP files for stay

The lawyers for embattled Assin North legislator James Gyakye Quayson, who is facing five criminal charges, have filed an application for a stay of proceedings at the High Court in Accra.

Mr Quayson’s lead counsel Mr Tsatsu Tsikata, told the court on Tuesday, 15 March 2022 that they expect the application to be moved on Monday, 28 March 2022.

The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Justice Obuobisa, however, informed the court that all witness statements had been filed while the state has also made other disclosures as the court had ordered.

She indicated that the state is ready for the case management conference.

Mr Tsikata prayed the court to adjourn sitting till Monday, 28 March taking into consideration the pending application for stay of proceedings.

Presiding judge Elfreda Dankyi adjourned sitting to Tuesday, 29 March 2022, noting that she does not have access to the courtroom on Mondays.

The Director of Public Prosecutions on Thursday, 3 February 2022, filed the charges against the Assin North legislator on behalf of the state at the High Court in Accra.

The MP has been charged with “deceit of public officer” in contravention of section 251(b) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

According to the Attorney General, the MP, “on or about the 29th of July 2019 at the Passport Office, Accra, with intent to facilitate the obtaining of a Ghanaian passport, deceived the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by making a false statement that he did not have a dual citizenship, a statement which he did not have a good reason to believe to be true at the time of making it.”

He has also been charged with “forgery of passport or travel certificate” in contravention of section 15(1) (b) of the Passports and Travel Certificates Act, 1967 (NLCD 155).

The State asserts that Mr Quayson, on or about 26 July 2019, at the Passport Office, in Accra, made a false statement that he did not have dual citizenship for the purpose of procuring a passport – a statement the state says the MP knew to be untrue at the time of making it.

Mr Quayson has also been charged with “knowingly making a false statutory declaration,” in contravention of section 5 of the Statutory Declarations Act, 1971 (Act 389).”

The AG explained that the MP, at Assin Fosu, on or about 6 October 2020, made a statutory declaration indicating that he owed no country allegiance except Ghana, a statement which the MP knew was false in a material, particularly at the time of making it.

Additionally, the MP has been charged with “perjury”, in contravention of section 210(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and “false declaration for office”, in contravention of section 248 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

Source: classfmonline.com