Dormaahene’s remark on Gyakye Quayson’s trial is “wrong and senseless” – Sam Okudzeto

Dormaahene's remark on Gyakye Quayson's trial is "wrong and senseless" - Sam Okudzeto

Sam Okudzeto, a former President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) and a member of the General Legal Council has denounced the Dormaahene for his statements on the pending trial of Assin North MP-elect James Gyakye Quayson.

He believes that Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, a sitting High Court Judge, erred in publicly calling for the criminal trial to be dismissed.

“It is wrong, repugnant, and senseless for a sitting high court judge to stand on a public platform and make an utterance of that nature,” he stated on Joy FM’s Top Story. “This is my opinion,” he stated.

The Dormaahene, Osagyefo Badu II, also the President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, has asked President Akufo-Addo to intervene and stop the prosecution of MP-elect James Gyakye Quayson.

Speaking at the 10th-anniversary lecture of John Evans Atta Mills in Sunyani, Osagyefo Agyemang Badu, also known in judicial practice as His Lordship, Justice Daniel Mensah, stated that pursuing the case will have no impact on the country’s progress.

“As a matter of urgency, I am appealing to the President of the Republic, Attorney General if he has any role to play, that the trial should be aborted,” he appealed.

As a result, he urged the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, to “immediately file a nolle prosequi to end that particular decision.”

He voiced concern once more over the Supreme Court’s decision, which resulted in Mr Quayson’s removal from parliament.

The Dormaahene stated unequivocally that if he had been a member of the panel deciding on the issue, he would have taken a different approach.

As a result of this, Mr Okudzeto, the former President of the Ghana Bar Association, has demanded that the judge be fired immediately.

“If I was sitting in that disciplinary committee of the judicial council, I would have asked him to resign or asked him to be sacked as a judge. That’s what I would have done,” he said.

He suggested that folks take up the issue and file a complaint with the relevant authority in order to keep persons in power in check.

The Attorney-General’s Office has accused the Assin North MP-elect, James Gyakye Quayson, with forgery and perjury.

He is also accused of manipulating a public officer and making a false declaration when he submitted nominations to run in the 2020 election despite not having relinquished his Canadian citizenship.

He has, however, filed a move on notice with the High Court seeking a stay of proceedings pending an appeal.

Meanwhile, after winning the Assin North, he is scheduled to be sworn in again on Tuesday, July 4.