We’ll explore all means to protect Gyakye Quayson – Minority

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has expressed dissatisfaction with the Court of Appeal’s dismissal of James Gyakye Quayson’s stay of proceedings application.

The legal team of the Assin North Member of Parliament had appealed the High Court’s decision to try Mr. Quayson on a daily basis.

But the Court of Appeal on Wednesday, July 19 quashed the application paving way for a daily trial of the embattled MP.

The Minority Chief Whip, Kwame Governs Agbodza, in a statement, questioned the consequences of the daily trial and the implications it will have on the MP serving his constituents and indicated the Caucus will explore all options available to it to defend one of its colleagues.

Below is the full statement from the Minority

The Minority in Parliament has decided to reciprocate its response to the government’s escalation of the ongoing persecution of the Member of Parliament for Assin North Constituency, Hon. James Gyakye Quayson.

Following a request by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Mr. Godfred Yeboah Dame, that Hon. James Gyakye Quayson be tried on a daily basis, despite an application for stay of proceedings and a pending application before the Court of Appeal against the daily trial, the High Court has ruled that it will continue to hear the case daily.

In essence, the rulings by the High Court put Hon. James Gyakye Quayson in the same position that he was placed in by the Supreme Court before the Assin North Constituency by-election.

If the Member of Parliament must appear in court every week day for trial, what time will he have to attend to Parliamentary business to represent the people of Assin North? We are therefore, at this point, including all options available to us to defend and protect our colleague.

Hon. James Gyakye Quayson is the only person to have been elected twice within a Parliamentary term. He first won the 2020 Parliamentary election in Assin North Constituency, which was declared null and void by the Supreme Court after two and a half years. This triggered a by-election which he won again by an overwhelming 57.56% on 27th June, 2023.