GhArticles.com Every News in Detail
The High Court has acquitted and discharged James Gyakye Quayson, Member of Parliament for Assin North, bringing an end to a protracted legal battle centered on allegations of dual citizenship.
In a landmark ruling delivered on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, the court held that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against Quayson, who had been accused of holding Canadian citizenship at the time of filing his nomination to contest the 2020 parliamentary elections—a situation deemed to contravene Ghana’s Constitution.
The verdict came after Quayson’s legal team filed a submission of no case to answer. The judge ruled that the MP did not make any false declarations on his nomination forms, emphasizing that by the time he stated allegiance to only Ghana, he had already initiated the renunciation of his Canadian citizenship.
In delivering the judgment, the court highlighted inconsistencies in evidence presented by prosecution witnesses, including irregularities in the passport summary sheet and statutory declarations, which cast doubt on the credibility of the case.
“I feel deeply relieved and vindicated,” Quayson said after the ruling. He has consistently maintained that he had no intention to mislead the Electoral Commission or the Passport Office, asserting his commitment to Ghana’s democratic processes.
The MP had been facing five charges, including forgery, perjury, and making false declarations to public institutions. With the court’s decision, Quayson is now free to serve his constituents without any legal encumbrances, reinforcing the principle of due process in Ghana’s judicial system.
