Source: newsthemegh.com
James Gyakye Quayson, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, has been served notice by a High Court in Accra that, should he fail to appear in person or participate remotely on November 9, 2023, the trial will be held in absentia.
Judge Mary Yanzuh presided over the court, which stated that the prosecution’s witness had been in the witness box for over a year without providing his main piece of evidence, which had caused the case to be postponed for some time.
In order to obtain a Ghanaian passport, Mr. Quayson lied to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and said he did not hold dual citizenship. For this reason, he is currently on trial.
He is accused with five charges of deceiving a public official, perjury, making a false declaration of office, forging a passport or travel document, and willfully providing a false statutory statement.
The trial was postponed for two months due to the Superior Courts’ legal holiday; however, the postponement occurred after the court was informed that Mr. Quayson was receiving medical care in Canada. The trial was scheduled to resume on October 13.
In the event that Mr. Quayson does not return to Ghana, the court enabled him to virtually join the proceeding and postponed the case to October 27.
Due to the trial judge’s attendance at a training, the case was postponed once more until November 3, 2023.
When the case was summoned on Friday, Justin Pwavra Teriwaja had written to the court, but neither Mr. Quayson nor his attorneys were present.
The lawyer requested that the hearing be postponed until November 17, 2023, stating in the letter that he had been notified that the matter had been postponed to November 1, but that Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata would not be accessible.
The fact that Mr. Teriwaja did not appear in court to provide an explanation did not impress Justice Yanzuh, indicating that the court views the attorney’s conduct as disrespectful and unworthy of a lawyer.
The court further noted that Mr. Quayson was not present and that no explanation had been given for his absence. It further stated that despite prior information to the contrary, no supporting documentation had been provided to the court regarding Quayson’s medical care in Canada.
Richard Takyi-Mensah, the first witness for the prosecution, had been in the witness box since July 2022, according to Justice Yanzuh, who stated that the case had been overly protracted.
Therefore, the court decided that it would make a further decision if the prosecution failed to present the witness at the following session.
It additionally stated that the court would end the cross-examination of Mr. Quayson’s attorneys and permit the prosecution to call a second witness if they failed to appear on the scheduled day.
In addition, the court declared that if Mr. Quayson does not appear in person or participate virtually in the trial on the following date, the case will be held in absentia.
Mr. Teriwaja had received the virtual link, according to Justice Yanzuh, who also mentioned that it would be shared with him once more.
She also requested that Mr. Quayson’s attorney receive a copy of the Friday’s proceedings. The matter will now be heard on November 9, 2023.