Gyakye Quayson’s win doesn’t mean he can’t be tried – CDD-Ghana replies Dormahene

The Victory of James Gyakye Quayson in the just-ended Assin North by-election is inconsequential to the criminal prosecution currently ongoing at an Accra High Court, a Programs Manager at the Centre of Democratic Development, Ghana (CDD-Ghana) has argued.

Mr Paul Mensah Abrampah indicated that the Dormahene’s calls on President Aufo-Addo to stop prosecuting James Gyakye Quayson saying the basis the MP had an overwhelming victory in the just-ended by-election is flawed.

According to Paul Menash Abrampah, the call by the Omanhene of the Dormaa Traditional Area and the President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, Oseadeoyo Agyeman Badu II is also an indication that people who have huge followers cannot be tried even when they have committed crimes against the state.

“The fact that you were voted for massively doesn’t mean you must be pardoned if there are criminal charges against you. If Dormahene says that, then he is implying that, anybody who is loved by his people must be pardoned if he is loved by his people”. Mr Paul Menash Abrampah told Angel FM Kumasi in an interview monitored by MyNewsGH.com.

The comment by Mr Mensah Abrampah comes as a response to an appeal made by Oseadeoyo Agyeman Badu II Omanhene of the Dormaa Traditional Area telling the President of the Republic Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to end the trial of embattled Assin North Member of Parliament, James Gyakye Quayson.

Oseadeoyo Agyeman Badu II had in a public event stated that continuing with the criminal trial was an insult to Ghanaians and the people of Assin North.

He said the 17,245 votes representing 57.56 per cent of the valid votes cast for Mr Quayson was a signal that the constituents had trust and believed in him to be their MP.

The High Court Judge also revealed that he does not see any benefits coming to the country, should the Attorney General decide to continue to prosecute James Gyakye Quayson and that prosecuting him will prevent him from doing his job as a legislator.

However, Mr Mensah Abrampah in his interview on Angel FM Kumasi insisted that “criminality is criminality, it doesn’t mean because you are loved by many you should be pardoned. If that is the argument he is making, it means that Akufo-Addo must be pardoned when he commits a crime because he was voted for by the majority. It doesn’t come anywhere near the discussion.”

What do we know about Mr Gyakye Quayson’s trial so far?

James Gyakye Quayson is facing trial for perjury at the High Court in Accra.

He is facing charges of forgery and perjury about certain alleged offences in the run-up to the 2020 Assin North parliamentary election.

He has pleaded not guilty to 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 a candidate for the Assin North seat in 2020.