Sam Okudzeto
Lawyer Sam Okudzeto, has slammed the Paramount Chief of Dormaa, who doubles as a Judge for meddling in politics contrary to the spirit of the 1992 Constitution.
Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, over the weekend, appealed to President Nana Akufo-Addo and the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame to as a matter of urgency stop the trial of the MP of Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson.
James Quayson, who is currently facing trial for perjury at the High Court in Accra is facing additional charges of forgery and perjury committed during the 2020 Assin North parliamentary election.
He has entered a plea of not guilty to five counts, including forgery of passport or travel certificate, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury, and false declaration for office.
The prosecution alleges that Quayson made a false statement to the Passport Office, stating that he did not hold a passport to another country when he applied for a Ghanaian Passport.
Additionally, they accused him of making a false declaration to the Electoral Commission (EC), claiming that he did not owe any allegiance to a foreign country when filing to run as a candidate for the Assin North seat in 2020.
Before the 2020 parliamentary election, Quayson held dual citizenship with allegiance to both Canada and Ghana.
He had initiated the process of renouncing his Canadian citizenship, although he had not yet received his renunciation certificate by the time of filing with the EC.
According to the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the Constitution, since Quayson had not obtained his renunciation certificate, he was still considered a Canadian citizen when he filed to contest the 2020 election, thereby disqualifying him.
As a result, the 2020 parliamentary election results in Assin North were annulled, and the seat was declared vacant.
However, after receiving his Canadian citizenship renunciation certificate later in 2020, Quayson became eligible to contest the subsequent by-election.
He emerged as the winner against the New Patriotic Party’s Charles Opoku and is now poised to be sworn in as the MP for Assin North.
Despite his electoral victory, the charges of forgery and perjury relating to the 2020 Assin North election remain pending.
However, the Dormaahene during the Bono, Bono East, Ahafo, and Western North regional version of the Professor John Evans Atta Mills Commemorative Lecture held in Sunyani on July 1, 2023, urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and the Attorney-General to file a nolle prosequi, thereby discontinuing the criminal case against Quayson.
He argues that the A-G doesn’t have to proceed with the charges, as the people of Assin North have demonstrated their trust and belief in Quayson by re-electing him.
The Dormaahene, who doubles as a high court judge, said if the trial continues it will hinder development, especially within the Assin North constituency.
However, the Renowned Lawyer on Asaase Radio said the Dormaahene goofed with his statement, adding that the judicial council must sanction him.
He explained that “I must confess that I am saddened and shocked because the one involved is not just an ordinary chief but a paramount chief. That is a very high position to be held in high esteem’’.
“He should not meddle in politics,” he said, adding that, “in fact, the constitution is very clear on that and the basis for that is that everybody in his jurisdiction owes allegiance to him and therefore that is why he shouldn’t be involved in partisan politics…”
“And so I am shocked because I have heard him done something like that and many lawyers were angry and thought he should be removed from the bench…, if the Supreme Court sat and analyze, what is his business… the judicial council must sanction him,” Okudzeto said.
-BY Daniel Bampoe