The embattled Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson on Tuesday morning showed up before an Accra High Court after weeks of allegedly evading court summons.
Mr Quayson is facing five (5) criminal charges of forgery and perjury in relation to certain alleged offences in the run-up to the 2020 Assin North parliamentary election.
The court presided over by Justice Mary Maame Ekue Nsenkyire, summoned the MP to appear before the court today (Tuesday, February 15, 2022) for his plea to be taken.
It will be recalled that the Cape Coast High Court in July 2021 annulled the Assin North Parliamentary elections saying Mr Quayson was not eligible to contest the polls.
Mr Quayson has since been legally fighting to set this aside with the matter currently pending at the Court of Appeal.
The Attorney General’s Department subsequently filed criminal charges against the MP but court officials have been unable to serve the MP with the court processes amidst allegations that a court bailiff was assaulted by the MP’s bodyguard.
In court today, NDC stalwarts including the National Chairman and General Secretary as well as the leadership of the Minority in Parliament stormed the court to throw their weight behind the MP.
Despite the case being fixed for hearing at 10 am today, counsel for the MP, Tsatsu Tsikata, prayed for an earlier hearing due to another case against his client at the Supreme Court at 10 am.
Justice Nsenkyire, however, refused counsel’s prayer arguing the prosecution was absent from court.
Source: Thenewsroomonline