The second prosecution witness in the ongoing criminal trial of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, Mr James Gyakye Quayson, yesterday testified before the Criminal Division of the Accra High Court.
Nana Kojo Amponsah, who is the Returning Officer of the Electoral Commission for the Assin North Constituency, told the court presided over by Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh that he received the nomination forms of the MP.
The witness was led in evidence by the Deputy Attorney-General (A-G) and Minister of Justice, Mr Alfred Tuah-Yeboah.
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Nana Amponsah said that his duties include “publication of notice of the poll, ensuring that the nomination forms of the candidates are received and the polling station and numbers of the proposers and seconders of the candidates are verified.”
In the Assin North MP Trial, he told the court “I received the nomination form from the accused person at 2:03pm and accepted same at 2:09pm on Thursday, October 8, 2020, and endorsed it to that effect.”
When Mr Tuah-Yeboah attempted to show the witness a copy of the nomination form of
the accused, Mr Tsatsu Tsikata objected and argued that the form was not the original copy and could not be tendered.
However, Justice Yanzuh said the document was only being identified and not to be tendered.
Mr Quayson is currently in Canada for medical check-uphe and being tried in absentia.
The court said no record of his medical reports was before it.
The state is prosecuting the Assin North MP for alleged perjury.
The accused allegedly signed an application form for a Republic of Ghana passport in which accused indicated that he was a Ghanaian, and does not have a dual nationality, on July 26, 2019.
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Mr Yeboah said that MrQuayson, at the time, held a Canadian citizenship issued on October 30, 2016, but failed to declare same on the application form.
The Deputy A-G said based on alleged false information together with the other information provided by the accused on the passport application form, he was issued with a Ghanaian passport, number G2538667 on August 2, 2019.
Mr Quayson won the Assin North by-election on June 27, after the Supreme Court ruled that his election was unconstutional and ordered the Electoral Commission to conduct fresh election.