James Quayson Faces High Court Over Criminal Charges: Deposed Assin North MP Accused Of Perjury

• The criminal prosecution of James Quayson over his dual citizenship brouhaha started in court on Friday, June 16, 2023
• The deposed NDC MP for Assin North is facing charges of perjury, the deceit of a public officer and false declaration among others
• The Supreme Court in May 2023 declared that the election of the MP in 2020 was null and void because he still held dual citizenship when filed to contest the legislative position

Deposed Assin North Member of Parliament James Gyakye Quayson will Friday, June 16, 2023, face the High Court over criminal charges brought against him by the Attorney General.

He is facing five counts of criminal charges brought against him by Godfred Dame as follows:

• Forgery of a passport
• The deceit of a public officer,
• Knowingly making a false statutory declaration,
• False declaration and
• Perjury

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Supreme Court declares Gyakye Quayson's election as MP null and void

The Supreme Court in May 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.

The seven-member Supreme Court bench led by Justice Jones Dotse determined that the election of Quayson in 2020 was null and void.

Assin North by-election scheduled for June 27

YEN.com.gh reported in a related story that following a ruling of the Supreme Court, Parliament declared the Assiin North seat vacant.

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This set the stage for the Electoral Commission to schedule June 27, 2023, for a by-election in the Central Region constituency.

The Supreme Court's decision to oust James Quayson as an MP over his dual citizenship has been described by persons respected for legal insight as unfair and poor in judgement.

James Quayson risks imprisonment over criminal charges

YEN.com.gh also reported in a previous story that Assin North MP would be fighting another legal battle soon if the prosecution of the criminal charge of perjury begins.

The Attorney-General, Godfred Dame, said the deposed MP faces the possibility of imprisonment like Adamu Sakande.

Mr Sakande, a former member of the Fifth Parliament for the Bawku Central, was sentenced to prison for two years for perjury and deceiving a public officer.

Vice president Bawumia alleged to be a British citizen

In other news, Ghana's former ambassador to India Sam Pee Yalley has disclosed that vice president Dr Mahamudu Bawumia holds British citizenship.

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According to him, the vice president acquired the citizenship when he was director of the London branch of the Bank of Ghana.

He said there is no evidence yet that Dr Bawumia renounced his British citizenship before he was sworn in as vice president in 2017 and again in 2021.

Source: YEN.com.gh