The High Court in Accra has fixed March 27, 2025, to determine whether or not Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North James Gyakye Quayson should open his defence in a trial in which he has been accused of deceiving a public officer in obtaining a Ghanaian passport.

The court was expected to give its ruling on March 3 but the Office of the Attorney-General failed to meet the court’s deadline to file written arguments in support of whether they have made sufficient case for the MP to open his defence.

Counsel for Quayson, Tsatsu Tsikata, told the court that since the prosecution now has more time to file the address, they should address the issues raised by the defence.

Justice Mary Yanzuh adjourned the trial to March 27, 2025, to give a ruling on the submissions.

Subsequently, the court gave the prosecution up to the close of today to file its written arguments. 

Not guilty

Mr Quayson is facing charges of forgery and perjury in relation to certain alleged offences 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.

In addition, the prosecution has accused Mr Quayson of making a false declaration to the Electoral Commission (EC) to the effect that he (Quayson) did not owe any allegiance to a foreign country when he filed to contest as a candidate for the Assin North seat.

The prosecution closed its case on February 12, 2025, after which the court ordered both sides to file written submissions on whether a case had been made by the prosecution.

In all, the prosecution called six witnesses before bringing its case to a close.