James Gyakye Quayson Walks Free After High Court Acquittal In Dual Citizenship Case
- The high court has acquitted Assin North MP James Gyakye Quayson in the case about his dual citizenship
- Quayson had declined an offer by the new Attorney General to discontinue the 2022 lawsuit against him
- After the court hearing, Quayson told the press he was not surprised by the favourable outcome in the case
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James Gyakye Quayson, the Assin North MP, has been acquitted and discharged by the High Court after facing charges related to his dual citizenship status.
The court decision, which was a submission of no case, was handed out on April 9.
Source: Facebook
Quayson faced claims that he held dual citizenship when he filed to contest in the 2020 parliamentary elections, which is against the law.
Since 2022, Quayson had been fighting charges of deceit of public officer, forgery of passport or travel certificates, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury, and false declaration for office.
The MP denied the charges and said he renounced his Canadian citizenship before filing his candidacy.
3News reported that the judge ruled that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence to substantiate the charges.
After the start of the Mahama administration, he declined an offer by the new Attorney General to discontinue the 2022 lawsuit against him.
Speaking to the press after his acquittal, Quayson said he had expected a favourable outcome.
"It is almost expected because when a man is innocent, no matter what you do, it will be pronounced at a later date."
Quayson was at a point removed as MP by a Supreme Court ruling but won the Assin North by-election on June 27, 2023. He was sworn in as an MP again on July 4, 2023.
His swearing-in ceremony was graced by the hierarchy of the National Democratic Congress, including then flagbearer John Mahama.
Gyakye Quayson takes on Godfred Dame
In 2023, Quayson petitioned the General Legal Council (GLC), accusing then Attorney General, Godfred Dame, of professional misconduct.
The MP said Dame had provided contrasting testimony to one of his witnesses in court.
Source: Getty Images
Citing another instance of alleged improper conduct, the MP claimed Dame used insulting language towards his lawyer on June 16, 2023, in court.
“This gratuitous insult on the part of the Attorney-General was without any basis and had no place in the trial and, I am advised by my lawyers, is contrary to the Rules of Professional Conduct of lawyers."
Parliamentary committee endorses dual citizenship amendment
In 2024, YEN.com.gh reported that the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament endorsed the passage of a bill advocating for dual citizens to be allowed to hold certain public offices.
The bill, sponsored by the Akim Swedru MP, Kennedy Osei Nyarko, seeks to remove the restriction on dual citizens from holding certain high-ranking positions in government.
These positions include the office of the Inspector General of Police, ambassadorial positions, as well as serving as Members of Parliament.
The bill, the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana (Amendment) Bill 2021, was sent to Parliament after initially being published in the Gazette on July 9, 2021, and republished on October 11, 2021.
The Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee, in its report to Parliament, noted that Ghana’s diaspora significantly contributed to the nation’s development and that their prohibition from public office was inimical to the said development.
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Proofreading by Edwina N.K Quarcoo, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
Delali Adogla-Bessa (Head of Current Affairs and Politics Desk) Delali Adogla-Bessa is a Current Affairs Editor with YEN.com.gh. Delali previously worked as a freelance journalist in Ghana and has over seven years of experience in media, primarily with Citi FM, Equal Times, Ubuntu Times. Delali also volunteers with the Ghana Institute of Language Literacy and Bible Translation, where he documents efforts to preserve local languages. He graduated from the University of Ghana in 2014 with a BA in Information Studies. Email: delali.adogla-bessa@yen.com.gh.
Edwina N.K Quarcoo (Copy Editor) Edwina N.K Quarcoo is a copy editor at YEN.com.gh with over 7 years of experience as a copy editor/proofreader. She graduated from UniMAC-GIJ with a diploma in Communications Studies and is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Public Relations with Marketing at the same university. Edwina previously served as a media monitor at IOM-Ghana and an assistant radio producer at Hechtech Audio Productions. You can contact her at edwina.quarcoo@yen.com.gh.
