Portion of President Akufo-Addo’s Assin North campaign audio played in court

Today 6^th July in open court, a portion of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s audio recordings of his comments regarding James Gyakye Quayson made at a rally before the June by-election in Assin-North were aired.

The tape was one of the references used by Quayson’s attorney, Tsatsu Tsikata, to bolster his case regarding supposed disparaging remarks made against his client.

Mr. Tsikata emphasized that the remarks violate the accused’s right to a fair trial when he moved an application filed by the MP to halt the trial in which Quayson is accused of forgery and perjury until the Court of Appeal rules on his appeal challenging the court’s decision to hear the trial every day.

Godfred Yeboah Dame, the Attorney-General, intervened, stating it was wrong that only a piece of the recording was being played.

He felt it was unfair to play the first 15 seconds of the audio.

In order to provide the court with an appropriate context for the issues being mentioned by Mr. Tsikata, he said, the entire video should have been shown.

In his defense, Mr. Tsikata pointed out that denying the request for a stay would only give the impression that the trial’s decision was already predetermined.

“It is an exceptional circumstances when it could  lead to an innocent person presumed innocent being unjustly trialed” lawyer said.

However, the A-G contested the application on the grounds that when Quayson’s attorneys asked the court to modify its orders regarding the day-to-day hearing of the case, they were referring to the day-to-day hearing of the case before to the by-election.

I pray that the court would reject this application because it is a jumble of confusion that is based on distortion. Mr. Dame asked the court to do so.

The verdict on the stay application is scheduled to be issued on July 11, 2023, according to the presiding judge, Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh.

Source: Ghanatodayonline.com