General News of Tuesday, 4 July 2023

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

There’s nothing wrong with Dormaahene’s call for a stop to Gyakye Quayson trial – Dafeamekpor

Ranking Member on the Constitutional and Legal Committee in Parliament, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor Ranking Member on the Constitutional and Legal Committee in Parliament, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor

The Member of Parliament for South Dayi and the Ranking Member on the Constitutional and Legal Committee in Parliament, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has said that he disagrees with the critics of Dormaahene Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II.

The lawmaker believes that there is nothing immoral about the chief calling for the discontinuation of James Gyakye Quayson's trial.

Dafeamekpor added that the sitting Appeals Court Judge did not breach any code of conduct in the judicial service.

The politician made these statements when he was speaking on Accra-based Joy FM.

"I disagree totally with the immoral suggestion they made, that this matter be looked into by the judicial council, especially the disciplinary committee of the judicial council,” he said.

About calls made by the former President of the Ghana Bar Association, Sam Okudzeto for the judicial council to take action against the Dormaahene, Dafeamekpor added that there was no need for sanctions as the Attorney General, Godfred Dame and President Akufo-Addo have passed prejudicial comments but have not been punished.

“The Dormaahene, first of all, he is the Dormaahene – the Paramount Chief of the Dormaa Traditional area and he was invited to the function in that capacity. Two – he is a trained lawyer, three – he is a member of the judiciary of this country. Is anyone saying that the Dormaahene in these various capacities cannot speak to a matter such as this in the manner that he did?” he asked.

“Didn’t the Attorney General himself go to court to say that Quayson will go to jail? Didn’t the Attorney General go to a court of law to make a very prejudicial comment? Didn’t the President of this republic stand on a political platform and mention that Quayson will go to jail?

“So if the Dormaahene in all these says that if all these prejudicial comments preceded the election and the election has been held and he thinks that because he succeeded, the Attorney General should exercise his mandate under Article 88 and enter a nolle prosequi, what is so immoral about this?” he quizzed.

The Dormaahene Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, currently a High Court judge, called on the government to file a nolle prosequi in the Quayson trial explaining among others that it was time to move on and not appear to disrespect the people of Assin North and Ghana.

He also criticised the Supreme Court decision that ousted Quayson from office as an MP triggering the June 27 by-election which Quayson won.

James Quayson had pleaded not guilty to five charges of deceit of the public officer, forgery of passport or travel certificates, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury and false declaration for office.

The charges relate to his participation in the 2020 polls at a time he supposedly held dual citizenship.



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