Assin North MP appears in court for alleged perjury, forgery trial

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, Mr James Gyakye Quayson, Tuesday morning showed up to stand trial at the Accra High Court over an alleged forgery and perjury.

Mr Quayson was in the company of the National Chairman of the party, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, two former Attorney -Generals (A-G), Mrs Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong and Mrs Betty Mould Iddrisu.

Mr Quayson is facing charges of forgery and perjury in relation to certain alleged offences in the run up to the 2020 Assin North parliamentary election, but the MP was absent in the court on two occasions.

On February 9, this year, the court, presided over by Justice Mary Maame Ekue Nsenkyire, summoned the MP to appear before the court today (Tuesday, February 15, 2022) for his plea to be taken

Per order of the court, the criminal summons, the charge sheet and the facts of the case should be served on the MP.

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Tsatsu’s prayer

The case had been fixed for hearing at 10 am today, but counsel for the MP, Mr Tsatsu Tsikata, prayed the court to hear it earlier because according to him his client had another case at the Supreme Court at 10am.

Justice Nsenkyire, however, refused counsel’s prayer and said the case was due for hearing at 10am and therefore it would not be prudent to hear it earlier, especially when the prosecution was absent from court.

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Charges

State prosecutors have charged Mr Quayson on on five counts of forgery of passport or travel certificate, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury and false declaration for office.

It is the case of the prosecution that Mr Quayson allegedly made a false statement to the Passport Office that he did not hold a passport to another country when he applied for a Ghanaian Passport.

In addition, the prosecution has accused Mr Quayson of making a false declaration to the Electoral Commission (EC) to the effect that he (Quayson) did not owe any allegiance to a foreign country when he filed to contest as candidate for the Assin North seat.

Read also: Accra High Court summons Assin North MP for trial in perjury case

Writer’s email: emma.hawkson@graphic.com.gh