Assin North MP charged on 5 counts of forgery, perjury

The charge sheet filed at the High Court states that the MP obtained a public office as an MP by using a declaration knowingly that he did not owe allegiance to any other country but Ghana.

Is allowance instantly strangers applauded

The Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyekye Quayson 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 is to face ;

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).

It further indicates that on or about 8 October 2020 at the Electoral Commission Office, Hon Quayson obtained a public office as an MP by using a declaration knowingly that he did not owe allegiance to any other country but Ghana.

Background

On July 28, 2021, the Cape Coast High Court nullified the 2020 parliamentary election results of the Assin North Constituency.

Justice Kwasi Boakye, the presiding judge called for a fresh election to be conducted for the Assin North constituency by the Electoral Commission.

The judge also injuncted Hon James Quayson from holding himself as the Member of Parliament of the Constituency.

The above was the outcome of a Parliamentary election petition filed by Michael Ankomah-Nimfa to challenge the validity of James Quayson as a properly elected Member of Parliament arguing that at the time of filing his nomination to contest for the election, Hon Quayson owed allegiance to another country(Canada) in addition to Ghana and had not renounced same.

The petitioner further argued that it is a violation of Article 94(2a) for James Quayson to hold himself as the MP of the Assin North Constituency. Thus called on the court to declare the election as null and void.

The MP has since filed an action at the Court of Appeal against the decision of the Cape Coast High Court.

Also, on February 1, 2022, the NPP sought to secure an injunction at the Supreme Court barring Hon. Quayson from holding himself an MP.

The NPP’s Director of Elections, Evans Nimako indicated after proceedings that the Party is in the Supreme Court to seek interpretation of Article 94(2A) and get the Court to injunct the MP.

However, the Supreme Court panel presided over by Justice Jones Dotse and comprised Nene Amegatcher, Gertrude Torkonor, Yoni Kulendi, Agnes Dordzi, Mariama Owusu and Prof. Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu ordered the applicant to aid the Registrar to serve the MP in his capacity after the Registrar made it known that his outfit had made several unsuccessful attempts to serve the MP.

In the High Court on February 3, 2022, state prosecutors notified the court that it had not been able to serve the MP thus asked for an adjournment to be able to serve the accused.

The Court, therefore, acceded to the request of the prosecutors and adjourned proceedings to February 9, 2022.