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Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, the paramount chief of the Dormaa Traditional Area, has pleaded with President Akufo-Addo and the Attorney General to urgently halt the trial of James Gyakye Quayson, the MP for Assin North.
In connection with alleged offenses in the run-up to the 2020 parliamentary election, Quayson is accused with forgery and perjury.
He has entered a not guilty plea to five counts of forging a passport or travel document, making a false statutory declaration intentionally, lying under oath, and making a false declaration for office.
The Dormaahene claimed that if the trial goes on, it will impede progress, particularly in Assin North.
Speaking on Saturday, July 1, 2023, at Sunyani Technical University’s tenth anniversary speech honoring the late president, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, Agyemang Badu said: “Mr. President (Akufo-Addo), you know I adore you. This situation cannot continue.
“As a matter of urgency, I (Dormaahene) am appealing to the President of the Republic, [Akufo-Addo] – if he has any role to play, that trial should be aborted, and the Attorney General should, as a matter of urgency, file a nolle prosequi to end that particular decision and abort the criminal case against Mr Quayson,” Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II stated.
Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu, who is also the President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, insisted that the A-G had no reason to continue the case after the chiefs and residents of the Assin North constituency re-elected Quayson. He claimed that the law has a provision that allows the A-G to end any case in which the public is not interested.
He claimed that continuing the criminal prosecution was a disrespect to Assin North residents as well as Ghanaians.
James Gyakye Quayson’s prosecution, he continued, will prohibit him from performing his duties as a legislator, and he does not believe it will benefit the nation in any way.
The Dormaahene claimed that Mr. Quayson received 17,245 votes, or 57.56 percent of the total legitimate ballots cast, indicating that his supporters trusted and supported him as their MP.
He declared that he disagreed with the Supreme Court’s decision to throw out the election for the 2020 Assin North parliamentary seat and declare it vacant.
James Mensah, the Dormaahene and a judge on the High Court, stated that if he had been a justice on the Supreme Court, he would have voted against the annulment of the election and that he would not have gone to the “right” side.
He explained that the same topics being discussed in the criminal trial are the reason he would have gone to the left side and that is why he would not want to explain or comment about it.
“The man John Evans Atta Mills – 10 years on” was the topic of the public lecture.
The late Professor Mills was praised by a number of speakers at the lecture for being a peacemaker, unifier, truthful, God-fearing man, humble, tolerant, listening skills, patient, and unselfish, among other qualities.
A 24-book page called “Atta Mills Speaks to the World” was launched as part of the presentation.
During his tenure as President of Ghana, Prof. Mills delivered speeches at the 64th, 65th, and 66th General Assemblies at the United Nations, which were all recorded in the book.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
