Quayson’s trial: Dormaahene “goofed”, GBA says

The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has described recent comment by the Dormaahene on the trial of Assin North MP-elect James Gyakye Quayson as improper.

Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II has appealed to President Nana Akufo-Addo and the Attorney General to as a matter of urgency stop the trial.

Quayson is facing charges of forgery and perjury in relation to certain alleged offences in the run up to the 2020 parliamentary election. He has pleaded not guilty to five counts of forgery of passport or travel certificate, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury and false declaration for office.

“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,” the Dormaahene said.

Reaction
Appearing on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday (4 July), the public relations officer of the GBA, Saviour Kudze, advised the Dormaahene, who doubles as a high court judge, to put his critique into a review.

“For me it is worrying,” Kudze said. “I think it was an improper comment in that forum, even if you were advising the Attorney General as your subject, I don’t think it should be done at that forum.”

He added: “You have all it takes as a high court judge to have access to the Attorney General to say that, ‘looking at the happenings in the country, I think we should do this, or I advise that exercise this power if you think it will help the situation.’

“…I think his concern has to do with the fact that James Gyakye Quayson won the by-election by 57%, so for that alone a case should be discontinued against him. I don’t think that is the best.”

Speaking on the development, the attorney general said such comments have the potential to affect the fair adjudication of the case.