The Minority Leader in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, has intimated that the Speaker of Parliament will in no way shield Members of Parliament or say they are above the law when it comes to being held accountable.
Speaking in relation to the legal case against the Assin North Member of Parliament, James Gyakye Quayson, he averred that it was through the Speaker that the MP was served so there was no sheilding by the Speaker.
“What to do is to pass through the Office of the Speaker. Speaker Alban Bagbin will not shield any person or say anywhere that Members of Parliament are above the law. We are not above the law, we are accountable to the law.”
Haruna Iddrisu
Haruna Iddrisu indicated that the Minority in the House is not against the attempt to make the Assin North Member of Parliament, James Gyakye Quayson, accountable to the law.
Minority against procedure used in handling case
According to Haruna Iddrisu, the minority is only against the procedure that is being used in handling the case by the prosecution.
Haruna Iddrisu stated that it is about the law and respect for the constitution of Ghana, which the minority deals with. As such, he agreed with the Justices of the Supreme Court at the last hearing that the manner of service was unconstitutional.
The Minority leader clarified that at no point in time has it ever been the intention of the Honorable MP not to be accountable to the law.
“What we have sought to question is, the process and procedure allowing us to be accountable to the law. The same honorable Quayson was arraigned before the CID. So ask yourself how did that happen? They came properly through the Speaker and he facilitated that. So, if you want to to serve him, the easy thing to do is to come to the same room of the Speaker. He was in the chamber on Friday .”
Haruna Iddrisu
His comments come after the Accra High Court granted Mr Gyakye Quayson a ¢100,000 bail with one surety after he pleaded not guilty to all 5 charges.
The court presided over by Justice Mary Maame Ekue Nsenkyire, admitted the MP to bail after he had 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.
Justice Mary Maame Ekue Nsenkyire ordered the prosecution to file disclosure documents and have same served on the accused person. According to the court report, the case has been adjourned to March 15, 2022.
Tsatsu Tsikata, a lawyer for Gyakye Quayson earlier prayed the court to grant his client a self -recognizance bail, but the court refused on the basis of the difficulties the bailiff had in serving the MP with the court process.
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