Gyakye Quayson can’t be charged for perjury – GIMPA law lecturer

A Senior Law Lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), John Darko, has said per the facts available, former Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North Mr Gyakye Quayson cannot be charged for any crime in the case filed against him.

“In this particular case, the criminal aspect really doesn’t hold unless there are other facts I don’t know”, Lawyer John Darko told Kumasi-based Angel FM.

Lawyer John Darko who is also an NPP Parliamentary aspirant for Suame Constituency, categorically stated that there is a clear difference between the cases of Mr Adamu Sakande Dramani, the Former MP for Bawku Central and that of Gyakye Quayson.

According to him, Mr Gyakye Quayson when he appeared in court admitted that clearly he held Canadian citizenship but had taken steps to renounce, however, Mr Adamu Sakande did otherwise.

He further stated that, since Mr Gyakye Quayson did not deny the fact he held a Canadian citizenship and was able to provide documents in court to show that indeed he had denied his Canadian citizenship, he can’t be charged of perjury and forgery.

What do we know about Mr Gyakye Quayson’s court case so far?

Mr Quayson’s parliamentary membership was revoked after the Supreme Court invalidated his election in the 2020 polls because, according to the Court, he owed allegiance to another country, Canada.

His legal challenges began when a group petitioned the Electoral Commission in the Central Region to disqualify Mr. Quayson, claiming that he owed allegiance to Canada.

The Supreme Court however in a unanimous decision ruled that Mr. Quayson was not qualified at the time of filing his nomination forms.

It further held that the EC allowing him to contest when he had not shown evidence of renunciation of his citizenship of Canada is unconstitutional.

It further declared that his election was unconstitutional, null, void, and of no effect.

His swearing-in was equally declared to be unconstitutional, with Parliament ordered to expunge his name from its records.

Mr Gyakye Quayson is currently facing criminal charges in court. If found guilty, Mr Quayson could face 10 years in prison in hard labour.