No show at Assin North MP’s dual citizenship case
There was no show in court at the trial of the embattled Member of Parliament for Assin North, Mr James Gyekye Quayson over his citizenship suit.
This was because Mr Quayson is yet to be served with the motion-filled by his Counsel, Mr Abraham Amaliba to withdraw his services.
At the last court hearing, the court asked Mr Amaliba to facilitate the process to serve the first respondent with his motion to allow him to take steps to secure another lawyer to represent him.
However, when the case was called on Tuesday, June 08, Mr Amaliba explained that the document which was sent via EMS was yet to be received by the first respondent.
Mr Amaliba’s application to withdraw from the case was based on the argument that he found a comment the Presiding Judge passed during the process, to be prejudicial and that he thought the Judge had already predetermined the case.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Kwasi Boakye had already ruled over the application by Mr Quayson’s legal team to recuse himself from the case adding that unless a higher jurisdiction of the Chief Justice orders so, he would continue proceedings.
Mr Amaliba has subsequently petitioned the Chief Justice asking him to change the judge.
The Presiding Judge confirmed a notice from the Chief Justice and said he was waiting for further directions from the Chief Justice.
The case has therefore been adjourned to Monday, June 21.
A resident of Assin North, Michael Ankomah Nimfah, on January 6, 2021, applied for an interlocutory injunction to restrain Mr James Gyakye Quayson from being sworn in and holding himself as MP.
His request was granted by the court but the then MP-elect defied the court orders and went to Parliament to be sworn in as part of the 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic on January 7, 2021.
Therefore one of the issues to be determined by the court was whether or not the MP qualified to contest the election at the date he filed his nomination because of dual citizenship case, whether he still can hold himself as MP after his swearing-in.
Source: GNA