Trades Minister Kobina Tahir Hammond risks prison term as he has been given up to August 31, to justify comments he made regarding the outcome of the James Gyakye Quayson trial.

Lawyers for the embattled Assin North also have the same period to put across their case against the minister.

The High Court will then deliver its ruling on October 19.

Mr Quayson’s lawyers are asking the High Court to punish Mr Hammond for saying James Quayson may as well leave Parliament since he would end up in jail.

Mr Hammond in an interview with Oyerepa TV compared the Quayson case to that of former legislator Adamu Sakande.

“There is something we call precedence at the court. This is the same thing that happened with Adamu Sakande. He 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,” he said.

“They are making all kinds of noise about his swearing-in. I prompted the former deputy Attorney General Dominic Ayine to tell the gentleman that we have seen this before in this House. He should leave this House before he would be jailed,” he said.

In July 2012, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Bawku Central Adamu Dramani Sakande.

He was convicted by an Accra High Court after he was found guilty of perjury and forgery.

This was after he failed to denounce UK Citizenship before contesting for the Bawku seat. He was found guilty of perjury and forgery and was jailed for two years concurrently on all counts.

The court handling the case against Mr Hammond has opted not to hear oral arguments but wants the lawyers to address her through arguments after which she will deliver her ruling.