James Quayson’s Legal Team Unhappy About Continuous Adjournment Of Assin North Case

The legal team of restrained MP, James Gyakye Quayson, has expressed concern about the continuous adjournment of the Assin North trial.

This was after the case was again adjourned to April 5, 2023. No reason was assigned for the adjournment.

The Supreme Court Registrar informed the legal team of the new date when they appeared before the court on Wednesday, March 29.

A member of the team, who also doubles as the North Dayi MP Rockson Dafeamepkor spoke to the media after court proceedings.

“We are disappointed with this particular adjournment because the matter has been in abeyance for some time. We have pushed for the panel to be reconstituted in this matter but since then just a series of adjournments. We got the indication that the court will sit and go into this matter. But only for us to be told that it has been adjourned to next week Wednesday.

“It appears to be the trend these days. My own case [Reference to First Lady Emoluments Issue] has been adjourned at least 15 times. And it is not fair. When you do that, you make litigation economically painful for plaintiffs who come to court. So, we want the court to assign cogent reasons why some of these adjournments are done.

“My brother has been injuncted from performing his public function until the matter has been determined. His constituents are deprived of his services as an elected representative of the people and he comes to court and goes away and nobody appears to be concerned, why is that the case?” he quizzed.

The team’s frustration stems from the fact that Mr. Quayson has been stripped of all his privileges as an MP due to his dual citizenship case.

It will be recalled that on 13 April, the apex court declared that the MP could no longer fulfill parliamentary duties or hold himself as MP until the substantive case regarding his citizenship was resolved.

Per the 5-2 majority decision, the apex court said that restraining Mr. Quayson for a few weeks for the substantive case to be determined “will not occasion any irreparable loss or damage to applicant or anyone.”

But the case has seen little to no progress since the apex court gave its ruling in June 2022.

The petition against Mr. Quayson was filed by Michael Ankomah-Nimfah, a resident of Assin Bereku in the Central Region.

The people of Assin North have since April 2022 been left without representation in Parliament.