Between NAM1 and Gyakye Quayson, who deserves a daily trial? – Amaliba asks

Head of Legal Affairs of the National Democratic Congress, Abraham Amaliba has restated the NDC’s objection to a daily trial order for its Member of Parliament for Assin North.

An Accra High Court made the order last month in a criminal case the state has brough against the MP.

Amaliba holds that the order was discriminatory not just to the MP but also to his lawyers, because it means they will not deal with any other case except that of Quayson.

“Why, did the lawyers learn law solely because of Gyakye Quayson that they have to attend court every day?” he quizzed.

He maintained that the nature of Quayson’s crime as proffered by the state was no where close to that of Nana Appaih Mensah (NAM1) of Menzgold fame. Quayson’s case he stressed had not caused any loss of life or jobs as is the case with NAM1’s.

“Day by day trial, tell me, between NAM1 and Gyakye Quayson, who should be tried day by day? Obviously (NAM1) because lives and jobs have been lost. People can’t live their lives again.

“Tell me, who in Assin North has died out of Gyakye Quayson’s trial, so why should it be day by day?” he quizzed.

Gyakye Quayson is facing five counts of among others perjury and deceiving a public official in the filing processes to contest for the 2020 parliamentary elections at a time he was said to have held dual citizenship, that of Ghana and of Canada.

Nana Mensah is facing 61 counts of abetment of crime, defrauding by false pretences, carrying on deposit-taking business without license, sale of minerals without license, unlawful deposit-taking, and money laundering.

The accused person has denied the charges and the court on July 26, 2019, admitted him to bail in the sum of GHC1 billion with five sureties, three to be justified.

The court ordered him to be reporting to the Police every Wednesday pending the outcome of the case.