The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dami has slammed the Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, over his plea for the discontinuation of trial of Assin North Member of Parliament, James Gyakye Quayson.
The Dormaahene and President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, has appealed to President Akufo-Addo to intervene in the prosecution of the MP.
Mr Quayson is facing criminal charges brought against him after he lost his seat as Member of Parliament for Assin North.
He is accused of allegedly failing to renounce his dual citizenship status before filing to contest the 2020 Parliamentary election.
The outspoken Chief who’s also a sitting High Court Judge known in judicial practice as His Lordship Justice Daniel Mensah made the appeal while speaking on the 10th anniversary lecture of John Evans Atta Mills in Sunyani.
“The Supreme Court ruled that the 2020 Parliamentary election in Assin North that saw Gyakye Quayson being elected as MP must be annulled. If I were on the bench of the Supreme Court I would have disagreed with the panel of Judges. I appeal to the Attorney General, the Constitution gives him the power to discontinue cases that Ghanaians are not in support of. When the by-election was held in Assin North last week, James Gyakye Quayson who was re-elected. He won by an overwhelming majority. He secured 57.96% of votes cast and that is no mean an acheievement in election. As a matter of urgency, I’m appealing to the Attorney General, President of the Republic if he has any role to play, that trial should be aborted. The Attorney General should as a matter of urgency file a nolle prosequi to end that particular decision.
He added: “I’m saying so because if we continue with this case, we’ll be insulting Ghanaians, especially people of Assin North. I don’t see the benefit that accrues to the country by continuing with the prosecution. Now that Gyakye Quayson has been re-elected, if he’s hauled before the court how can he effectively discharge his duty as a Member of Parliament? If he’s not allowed to help in formulating good laws to ensure development of the country, how can he be blamed? It is on this plane that I appeal to the President, Mr President, you know I love you, but this matter cannot go on. Attorney General, you are a son of the Bono soil, please go through your laws and have a second look at this case.”
But the AG, Godfred Dami in an interview with Starr News responding to the Dormaahene’s utterances said he’ll release a statement on the issue adding that such comments have the potential of negatively affecting the administration of justice.
“I will come out with a proper statement on the matter and in respect of all comments that generally have the tendancy to subvert the administration of justice. I think that it is unhealthy for our Democratic dispensation and we should not countenance it.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh 103.5FM
