Trade and Industry Minister, Kobina Tahir Hammond has responded to a contempt charge leveled against him by the Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson.
According to the lawyers of Mr. Quayson, Mr. Hammond, in a media interview, accused their client of being guilty of the case he’s standing trial for and stated that he would go to jail.
In a writ filed at the High Court on Friday, July 7, lawyers for the Assin North MP argued that the alleged claims by the minister are prejudicial and likely to bring the ongoing judicial processes into disrepute.
According to Mr Hammond, he does not run away from his responsibilities and for that matter is ready to meet the applicant in court.
“I made a statement here in parliament; if they want to take me up in court, yes, of course, at the end of the day, that’s where these matters end up, so, what’s the big deal?
“I am not sure if those lawyers understand what precedent is, but I think I predicated my statement on the fact that there is what in legal terms called the precedence, so we are meeting in court. They played a game on me to serve me with the document, but I have accepted it,” the minister said.
Gyakye Quayson is facing charges of forgery and perjury in relation to certain alleged offenses in the run-up to the 2020 Assin North parliamentary election.
He has 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.
It is the case of the prosecution that Mr. Quayson allegedly made a false statement to the Passport Office that he did not hold a passport to another country when he applied for a Ghanaian Passport.