Assin North MP trial: Court sets April 12 for Case Management Conference

The Cape Coast High Court hearing the dual citizenship case brought against the Assin North Member of Parliament (MP) has set Monday, April 12, 2021, for case management and the setting down of issues that would govern the conduct of the trial.

The case management conference would be used to trim down the issues such that the parties involved would agree on the specific issues to set the grounds for hearing..

A resident of Assin North, Michael Ankomah Nimfah, on January 6, 2021, applied for an interlocutory injunction to restrain Mr James Gyakye Quayson from being sworn in and holding himself as MP.

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His request was granted by the court but the then MP-elect defied the court orders and was sworn in as part of the 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic on January 7, 2021.

One of the issues that would be set down for the case would be whether or not the MP qualified to contest the election at the date he filed his nomination and whether he still can hold himself as MP after his swearing in.

Lawyer for the embattled MP, Mr Abraham Amaliba, had earlier prayed the court for an amendment of his answers and applied for April 12 for his request to be heard.

However, the presiding Judge, Justice Kwasi Boakye, citing CI 47, indicated that time was of the essence and gave Mr Amaliba three days to amend his answers and send copies to the parties involved for them to respond in time before the set date.

Read also: Court 'stops' swearing in of Assin North MP-elect

Lawyers fight

Earlier a fight nearly broke out between the lawyers of the two parties when the case was called on Wednesday, March 24.

This was because Counsel for the petitioner, Mr Frank Davies, was unhappy that the lawyers for both the 1st and 2nd respondents, who were not present at the last court sitting, failed to serve him a copy of their request to the court for a new date.

Mr Davies described the action of Mr Amaliba as disrespectful to him and the court, saying at least he could have sent him a copy of the letter he sent to the court.

Mr Amaliba, however, did not take the statement from Mr Davies lightly and responded angrily which resulted in exchange of words between the two lawyers.

It took the intervention of the security personnel to separate and calm down the two and after about 30 minutes, both lawyers smoked the peace pipe and came back to continue with the proceedings in court.

The presiding judge urged the parties involved to cooperate to ensure expeditious hearing of the case.

- GNA