Application for Stay of Proceedings: High Court to give ruling April 26
The MP has been charged by the state on five counts of perjury and forgery of passport.
The Accra High Court sitting on the criminal case against the Assin-North Member of Parliament, James Gyakye Quayson, has set April 26, 2022, to deliver its ruling regarding an application for stay of proceedings filed by lawyers of the MP.
Counsel for Mr. Quayson told the court they have filed an appeal against an earlier ruling of the court, for constitutional interpretation of the charges.
They argued that the charges against Mr. Quayson call for constitutional interpretation.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms. Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, however, contended that, in moving the motion, the lawyers of Mr. Quayson failed to demonstrate any exceptional circumstance for grant of stay of proceedings.
She, therefore, described the referral for constitutional interpretation as unnecessary, indicating that the state was ready to provide evidence to prove its case.
The MP has been charged by the state on five counts of perjury and forgery of passport.
According to the charge sheet filed at the High Court and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions at the AG Department, the MP has been charged as follows;
1.A first charge of “deceit of public officer” contrary to the Criminal Offences Act, 1960(Act 29).
According to the charge sheet, the MP, James Quayson made a false statement to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2019 that he did not have dual citizenship in acquiring a Ghanaian passport which he did not have a good reason to believe to be true.
2. Forgery of passport which is contrary to Section 15(1) of the Passports and Travel Certificates Act, 1967 (NLCD 155).
Prosecutors indicate that the MP made in 2019, a false statement at the Passport Office in Accra that he did not have dual citizenship.
3. Additionally, the MP faces a charge of ‘Knowingly making a false statutory declaration’, contrary to section 5 of the Statutory Declarations Act, 1971 (Act 389).
The charge sheet indicates that Hon. Quayson made a statutory declaration at Assin Fosu that he did not owe allegiance to any other country other than Ghana.
4. The fourth charge is ‘Perjury’ contrary to section 210(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
The charge sheet indicates that Hon. Quayson made a statutory declaration at Assin Fosu that he did not owe allegiance to any other country other than Ghana.
5. Finally, ‘False declaration for office’ contrary to section 248 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
