James Gyakye Quayson: Attorney General's Writ Seeks To Get Deposed Assin North MP Jailed For 10 Years

• NDC's James Gyakye Quayson could be jailed for 10 years if the high court upholds a charge of perjury and other criminal officers brought against him
• The ousted Assin North MP has been accused by the Attorney-General of lying to the court under oath about his dual citizenship
• The Supreme Court has already ruled that the MP's election as Assin North MP is null and void because he flouted provisions for a person seeking to hold public office at the time he filed to contest the parliamentary seat

A process filed by Attorney-General Godfred Dame at the High Court could get the deposed Assin North MP James Gyakye Quayson jailed for 10 years for criminal charges including perjury.

The "Particulars of Offences" in the writ sighted by YEN.com.gh states that Quayson in October 2020 made a false statement on oath at Assin Fosu that he did not owe allegiance to any country other than Ghana.

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Also at the office of the Electoral Commission Quayson is alleged to have knowingly used a declaration that he did not owe allegiance to any country other than Ghana for the purpose of obtaining a public office as a Member of Parliament, a statement he knew to be material for obtaining that office.

The A-G has therefore charged the former MP for deceiving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by making a false statement that he did not have dual citizenship in order to acquire a Ghanaian passport.

The Office of the Attorney-General wants the former NDC MP punished for perjury for making a false statement at Assin Fosu.

In Ghana, second-degree felonies are punishable by ten years' imprisonment and include intentional and unlawful harm to persons, perjury, and robbery.

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Supreme Court rules that James Quayson's election as MP is null and void

Not long ago, the Supreme Court ordered Parliament to expunge the name of James Gyakye Quayson from its list of recognised Members of Parliament.

The apex court ruled on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, that the man declared Assin North MP for the NDC in 2020 failed to renounce his Canadian citizenship before standing for public office.

A seven-member Supreme Court bench led by Justice Jones Dotse made the unanimous decision.

James Quayson declares intention to contest Assin North by-election

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported in a previous story that James Quayson has said he will once again represent the NDC for Assin North as EC sets June 27, 2023, for a by-election.

In a statement, Quayson urged his constituents to continue the fight for democracy by coming out in their numbers to vote for him.

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"Come out in your numbers and vote for me": James Quayson appeals ahead of Assin North by-election

Parliament recently declared the Assin North constituency vacant after a Supreme Court ruling that the election of Quayson in 2020 as MP for the area was null and void.

Source: YEN.com.gh