The Accra High Court has scheduled March 3 to decide whether the prosecution has presented a strong enough case against James Gyakye Quayson, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, to require him to open his defense.
Quayson is facing charges including deceit of a public officer, forgery of passports and travel certificates, making a false statutory declaration, perjury, and false declaration for office.
At the last court session, the prosecution applied to recall their fifth witness, Latif Oshenu. During his cross-examination, Oshenu informed the court that a page was missing from an exhibit he had previously submitted.
The court agreed to recall the witness so that the missing document could be presented and examined in full.
On February 12, Principal State Attorney Esi Yankah Dentaa informed the court that although they had sent a request for documents to both the Passport Office and the Electoral Commission, they had only received a response from the Passport Office so far.
The Electoral Commission had not yet responded but assured that the requested documents would be provided soon. Dentaa asked for a brief adjournment, which was opposed by Quayson’s defense team.
During cross-examination by Quayson’s lawyer, Tsatsu Tsikata, Oshenu referred to his earlier evidence, stating that Quayson had declared in his statutory declaration form that he is solely a Ghanaian citizen and does not owe allegiance to any other country.
Oshenu claimed this information was also included in a letter Quayson had sent to the Electoral Commission.
Following the cross-examination, the prosecution suggested they had completed their case. Presiding Judge Mary Ekue Yanzuh instructed both the defense and prosecution to submit their written submissions within two weeks. She added that she would rule on the defense’s submission of no case on that date.
Baina Multimedia/ Hindatu Muhammed
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