The Executive Director of the Center for Public Opinion and Awareness (CenPOA), Michael Donyina Mensah, has advised the Attorney-General & Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame to discontinue the perjury and forgery case against embattled politician, James Gyakye Quayson, for the sake of public interest and to the benefit of the ruling NPP government.
Speaking to Kwabena Ahwireng Martin on Original 91.9 FM’s Ns3mtitrew on Saturday, July 1, 2023, Mr. Mensah said there is a public perception that the government is resolute to see the Assin North lawmaker jailed due to utterances made by the Attorney General and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
He stated that those comments suggest Mr. Gyakye-Quayson would be found guilty and sent to jail at all costs meanwhile the case is yet to be determined by the court.
Given this perception, even if Mr. Quayson is found guilty of all charges leveled against him and jailed, the Executive Director of the Center for Public Opinion and Awareness believes it would be considered a witch-hunt or a pro-NPP judiciary.
He further noted it is clear that another by-election or even main elections in Assin North would not favor the New Patriotic Party because of comments made by its communicators which are perceived to be prejudiced and calling for the jail term for the incumbent MP.
Mr. Donyina Mensah is, therefore, of the view that dropping the perjury and forgery charges is a prudent decision to take.
Mr Quayson is facing charges of forgery and perjury in relation to certain alleged offences in the run-up to the 2020 Assin North parliamentary election.
He has pleaded not guilty to five counts of forgery of passport or travel certificate, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury, and false declaration for office.
It is the case of the prosecution that Mr. Quayson allegedly made a false statement to the Passport Office that he did not hold a passport to another country when he applied for a Ghanaian Passport.
Also, the prosecution has accused Mr. Quayson of making a false declaration to the Electoral Commission (EC) to the effect that he did not owe any allegiance to a foreign country when he filed to contest as a candidate for the Assin North seat.
