CID invites former Assin North MP for interrogation

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has invited the embattled former Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, for interrogation.

This follows a complaint lodged by the Central Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Takyi Mensah, over the party.

A source at the Police CID Headquarters says Mr. Quayson has been served with a letter to appear before it for interrogation.

He will either appear on August 3 or 6, 2021, the source added.

Quayson was on Wednesday, July 28, 2021, stripped of his MPship after a Cape Court High annulled the 2020 Parliamentary Election held in Assin North constituency and ordered for a fresh election to be held.

The Court which was presided over by Justice Kwasi Boakye, restrained Mr. Quayson, from holding himself as MP for the Assin North constituency.

Quayson had filed his nomination forms to contest for the position of a Member of Parliament for the Assin North Constituency when the Electoral Commission of Ghana opened nomination between October 5 to 9, 2020.

As part of the nomination forms, James Quayson signed a Statutory Declaration under Part IV of the forms before a Judicial Officer that he did not owe allegiance to any country other than Ghana.

He subsequently went ahead to contest the parliamentary election on December 7, 2020, which he won.

Michael Ankomah-Nimfah, who had knowledge about Quayson’s Canadian Citizenship then petitioned the Director-General, CID, to conduct criminal investigation into false declaration made by Quayson.

He had contended in his petition that Mr Quayson held dual citizenship as a Ghanaian and a Canadian at the time of his election, and therefore, must be restrained from performing the duties of a Member of Parliament.

Nimfah also proceeded to the Cape Coast High Court and prayed that an injunction be placed on Quayson.

The Court having listened to the plea advanced by Lawyer Frank Davies, Gary Nimako and Frank Kusi, Counsels for Ankomah-Nimfah, and counter argument by Abraham Amalibah and Adu Yeboah, Counsels for Quayson, granted the injunction.

“It is hereby ordered that James Quayson a.k.a. James Gyakye is hereby restrained from holding himself out as Member of Parliament-Elect for the Assin North constituency within the Central Region of the Republic of Ghana and further presenting himself to be sworn in as Member of Parliament-Elect as such until the final determination of the Petition filed against him by the applicant.”

Despite the court directive, Quayson still went ahead and presented himself to be sworn-in as the Member Parliament for Assin North Constituency.

He even took part in the voting of the Speaker of Parliament, an exercise he was advised by the Clerk of Parliament, not be part of but ignored.

The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, prayed to the Clerk of Parliament to allow Quayson to participate in the election of the Speaker and “let him bear the consequences” thereafter.

Having gone through the full stretch of the court hearing, Quayson was found guilty of having not renounced his Canadian citizen at the time of filing his nomination. His Renunciation Certificate of Canadian Citizenship was issued on November 26, 2020, with his renunciation taking effect same date.

Now, he faces another herculean challenge, the case of perjury to cross. Moments after the Cape Coast High Court ruling, Mr. Takyi Mensah, petitioned the CID to press criminal charges against Quayson for committing perjury.

“Mr. Quayson has perjured himself by lying under oath and I have taken steps to petition your office for official criminal investigations to be conducted. I have attached for your attention the following documents: Biodata page of Canadian Passport bearing the name Mr. James Quayson issued on 03-10-2016; Biodata page of Ghanaian Passport bearing the name Mr. James Gyakye Quayson issued on 02-08-2019; and Ghanaian Passport application form completed by Mr. James Gyakye Quayson dated 30-07-2019”, the petition filed by Mr. Takyi Mensah in part read.