Court grants MP for Assin North GH¢100,000 bail

An Accra High Court has granted bail to Mr James Gyekye Quayson, the Member of Parliament for Assin North in the sum of GH¢100,000 with a surety to be justified.

Mr Quayson pleaded not guilty to all five counts of the deceit of public officer and forgery of passport or travel certificate, charge for knowingly making the false statutory declaration, perjury and false declaration for Office.

He is to deposit his passport with the Registry of the Court.

Initially, Mr Alfred Tua-Yeboah, the Deputy Attorney-General told the Court presided over by Justice Mary Maame Ekua Nsenkyire that the prosecution was not opposed to the grant of bail.

He said that notwithstanding, they pray that he should not be granted self-recognizance bail in view of the circumstances under which he was served.

“We also suggest that he deposits his passport to the registrar of this court. We hope that reasonable conditions such as having two public servants serving as sureties to ensure that the accused person unveils himself any day any time he is needed by the court,” he said. 

Mr Tsatsu Tsikata, the Lawyer for the accused person said the MP, who could have enjoyed a comfortable life in Canada has resorted to serve the people of Assin North and was doing so having decisively won the election.

He said it would be outrageous to suggest that such a person would have no reason not to subject himself to court process despite the issues regarding the mode he was served notice.

Mr Tsikata said the accused was granted a self-recognizance bail after he gave his investigative caution statement.

“There is absolutely no reason why this court should not also grant self-recognizance bail,” he added. 

The presiding judge said the prosecution had to comply with the rules of disclosure and file all documents they intended to rely on for the trial.

She said the prosecution should also file witness statements of all witnesses they intended to rely on.

The accused person is also to file the addresses of any witness that he intended to rely on in case the court finds that the prosecution had made a pro a facie case against him.