I'm innocent - Assin North MP reacts to court bailiff's assault accusation
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Assin North, Mr James Gyakye Quayson says he is innocent of the accusation of assault made against him by a court bailiff.
Speaking to journalists at Parliament House on Friday [February 11, 2022, Mr Quayson said he has "trust in the judicial system."
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He stated he was in a high spirit since he is innocent of the accusation made against him by the bailiff.
He said as an innocent person, he has nothing to fear about being served with a criminal summons.
"This matter is in court; I believe and trust in the judicial system because that is the way for people to measure their innocence," he said.
A court bailiff, on Tuesday (Feb 8, 2022) told the Supreme Court that the NDC MP for Assin North, whose legitimacy as an MP is being challenged in court asked his personal assistant to sack him when he tried to serve a writ of summons filed at the Supreme Court on Mr James Gyakye Quayson.
The bailiff, Joshua A Banning, alleges that on February 1, he tried to serve a writ of summons filed at the Supreme Court on Mr Quayson at his (MP) office at Parliament House, but the MP asked his personal assistant to sack him.
Appearance
Mr Quayson who was approached by journalists in Parliament on Friday for a comment on the accusation made against him on February 9, 2022 at the Supreme Court said he would not comment on the matter which was pending before the court.
“The matters are in court; leave the courts to do their work. I am conducting my parliamentary duties,” he stated.
Accusation
At hearing of a case against Mr Quayson at the Supreme Court on February 8, 2022, a bailiff, Joshua Banning, accused the MP of assault.
Joshua Banning alleged that on February 1, he tried to serve a writ of summons filed at the Supreme Court on Mr Quayson at his (MP) office at Parliament House, but the MP asked his personal assistant to sack him.
According to the bailiff, he resisted which led the MP to order his bodyguard to throw him out, manhandling him in the process.
The allegation came up at the Supreme Court when the suit which is seeking to stop Mr Quayson from holding himself as an MP was called.
The Registrar of the Supreme Court, Mr Matthew Antiaye, read a sworn affidavit by the bailiff detailing the alleged assault, and informed the court that all attempts to serve Mr Quayson has proved futile.
A seven-member panel of the court, presided over by Justice Jones Dotse, directed the Registrar to submit the alleged assault to the Chief Justice for the necessary investigations and action to be taken.
Minority’s reaction
Earlier on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, the Minority in a statement signed by the Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, described the accusation against the MP as a sad development for Ghana’s democracy and must be condemned.
It said the move by the court’s bailiff was the first time in the history of Ghana that such a flagrant disregard of the privileges of Parliament and breach of the Constitution had taken place.
“We in the Minority are deeply concerned by that blatantly unconstitutional act which was recognised by the Supreme Court for what it is - a brazen violation of the Constitution.
“We applaud the justices of the Supreme Court for upholding the fidelity of the law by pointing out to the desperate lawyers of the NPP the brazenly unconstitutional nature of the attempt to serve a sitting MP on the precincts of Parliament,” it said.
