Assin North Case: High Court hears application seeking to vary hearing timelines today

A High Court presided over by Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh has adjourned sitting to Wednesday 21 June 2023 to hear an application by lawyers for James Gyakye Quayson, seeking to vary the timelines set by the court to try the case of perjury preferred against him by the state.

Lead counsel for the embattled former National Democratic Congress (NDC) member of Parliament for Assin North Constituency, Tsatsu Tsikata, file a motion on Monday 19 June 2023, challenging the decision of the Court at it last sitting to proceed with the trial on daily basis in order to ensure expeditious trial in line with the 2019 practice directives issued by the Chief Justice.

However, lawyers of Mr Quayson are asking the court to hold on with proceedings to allow him to contest the Assin North by-election taking place on Tuesday 27 June 2023 and return to the court any day after the contest for proceedings to take its natural course. Mr Quayson’s lawyers insist that their client is on a national assignment and that the Court ought to grant his request in order to allow him to concentrate on his campaign.

In Court

In court on Tuesday 20 June 2023, Deputy Attorney General, Alfred Tuah-Yeboah led by the Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame, opposed the application by Gyakye Quayson’s lawyers.

Alfred Tuah-Yeboah told the court that Mr Quayson’s decision to contest the Assin North by-election which has been occasioned by the offences he committed which is why he has been charged and is standing trial cannot be a justifiable reason to halt proceedings for him to go and contest the by-election.

He also noted in court that the state must be given an opportunity to file its opposition to the statement of case filed by Mr James Gyakye Quayson’s lawyers

To this end, he asked the court not to grant the request of James Gyakye Quayson’s lawyers but ensure that the trial goes on as planned, noting that the next date that has been selected for the trial is Tuesday 21 June 2023, so the Court should stick to same.

By Court

Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh’s court in a short ruling noted that it in the interest of fairness, she will order the state to respond to the statement of case filed by lawyers for Mr James Gyakye Quayson. She noted that the state can do that by close of day today 20 June 2023.

As a result, she adjourned sitting to Wednesday 21 June 2023 for Mr Quayson’s lawyers to move their motion for variation of time in order to get it out of the way of the substantive case.

 

Source: AsaaseRadio