The Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, has been granted a self-recognizance bail of GH¢100,000 bail, with one surety.

He has also been ordered to deposit his passport with the Registry of the trial Court; Criminal Court 3 Division of the High Court.

Justice Mary Maame Ekua Nsenkyire, the presiding judge, had earlier said the court was unable to grant the MP a self-recognizance bail, due to the nature of the case.

But a lead lawyer for Mr. Quayson, Tsatsu Tsikata, said it was outrageous to suggest that a man who could have lived a comfortable life in Canada but sacrificed that, in service to his people, would have a reason not to subject himself to the court processes if properly summoned.

Her Ladyship has also ordered the Prosecution to file all disclosures within three weeks.

The accused person is also to file responses and witness statements he intends to rely on should a prima facie case be made against him.

James Gyakye Quayson, who was personally in court for the first time since the case was initiated against him, is being tried for the deceit of public officer, forgery of passport or travel certificate, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury, and false declaration for office.

The court at its last adjourned date issued criminal summons against Mr. Quayson upon the prayer of the Prosecution.

The State said that it was becoming increasingly difficult and frustrating to serve processes on the accused person, and concluded based on the testimony of a bailiff, that the accused person was evading service.

The case has been adjourned to March 15, 2022

Background
Mr. Quayson was earlier dragged to court by Michael Ankomah-Nimfa, a resident of Assin Bereku in the Central Region, after he was declared winner in the constituency’s election.

Mr. Akomah-Ninfa filed a petition at the Cape Coast High Court seeking to annul his declaration as the MP for Assin North because he had Canadian citizenship.

In November last year, a group calling itself ‘Concerned Citizens of Assin North’ petitioned the Electoral Commission in the Central Region to withdraw the candidature of Mr. Quayson, arguing that he owes allegiance to Canada.

According to Article 94 (2) (a) of the 1992 constitution of Ghana, “A person shall not be qualified to be a member of Parliament if he or she – (a) owes allegiance to a country other than Ghana.”

Mr. Quayson’s election in the 2020 general elections was annulled by the Cape Coast High Court, after which an appeal was filed and still pending.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC), had insisted that its MP is “a full citizen of Ghana who owes no allegiance whatsoever to any other country. He is a Ghanaian in law and, in fact, qualifies to be a Member of Parliament according to the laws of Ghana.”