The Minister for Trade and Industry, Kobina Tahir (KT) Hammond, has made a statement regarding the fate of James Gyakye Quayson, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central.
Hammond has asserted that Gyakye Quayson’s destiny has been determined, and he will face imprisonment similar to the former MP for Bawku Central, Adamu Dramani Sakande, who was incarcerated for providing false information about his Burkinabe and British citizenships.
During an interview with Oyerepa TV at Parliament on Monday, July 4, 2023, KT Hammond emphasized that the circumstances surrounding Adamu Sakande’s case closely resemble those of Gyakye Quayson, which explains why the latter is expected to face imprisonment.
“There is something we call precedence at the court… this is the same thing that happened with Adamu Sakande. He (Sakande) came to this house, the same NDC (National Democratic Congress) members were the ones who sacked him from parliament and took him to court. He was imprisoned and he eventually died and was buried. It is the same matter.
“They are making all kinds of noise about his swearing-in. I prompted the former deputy Attorney General, Dominic Ayine, to tell the gentleman (Quayson) that we have seen this before in this house. He should leave this house before he would be jailed.
“There is precedence, this is the same as the Adamu Sakande case. Adamu was jailed for having multiple citizenships and Quayson had the same issue. Now he (Quayson) has renounced his other citizenship and he is only Ghanaian… but laws he broke previously is what we are talking about,” he said in Twi.
In addition, KT Hammond, the Member of Parliament for Adansi Asokwa, expressed his disapproval of the Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, for criticizing the Supreme Court’s ruling that resulted in the removal of Quayson from his parliamentary seat. Hammond also took issue with the Dormaahene’s call for the state to dismiss the criminal case against the former MP for Assin North.
About Adamu Dramani Sakande case:
In July 2012, Adamu Dramani Sakande, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central representing the New Patriotic Party (NPP), faced legal consequences for his actions.
The Accra High Court convicted Sakande after finding him guilty of perjury and forgery.
Sakande’s conviction stemmed from his failure to renounce his UK citizenship before running for the Bawku Central seat.
He was charged with perjury and forgery, resulting in a two-year concurrent jail sentence for all counts.
The challenge to Sakande’s status as the MP for Bawku Central came from Sumaila Bielbiel, a cattle dealer based in Bawku. Bielbiel raised concerns about Sakande’s dual citizenship, questioning his eligibility to hold the position.
Specifically, Sakande was accused of registering as a voter during the opening of the voters’ register and subsequently casting a vote in the December 2008 general elections when he was not entitled to do so.