The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, Mr James Gyakye Quayson, who has been accused of forgery and perjury, has been granted bail in the sum of GH₵100,000 with one surety by the Accra High Court.
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.
Lawyer for Mr Quayson, Mr Tsatsu Tsikata had 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.
A Deputy Attorney- General (A-G), Mr Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, also prayed the court not to grant the MP with a self-recognizance bail, arguing that the state went to great length in order to serve Mr. Quayson with the court process.
State prosecutors have charged Mr. Quayson on 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.