An Accra High Court has acquitted and discharged James Gyakye Quayson, the Member of Parliament for Assin North, in a resounding victory for justice and due process and ending a protracted legal saga surrounding allegations of dual citizenship.
The judgment, delivered on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, clears the Assin North MP of all five criminal charges brought against him by the state, including perjury, forgery, and making false declarations.
The case had centered on claims that Quayson still held Canadian citizenship when he filed to contest the 2020 parliamentary elections — a claim he has always firmly denied.
Delivering the ruling, the presiding judge upheld a submission of no case to answer filed by his legal team, stating that the prosecution had failed to establish any of the essential elements of the alleged offences.
The court determined that Quayson had not made any false declarations, as he had already initiated the process to renounce his Canadian citizenship before submitting his nomination forms.
“There is no evidence of dishonest intent,” the court declared, noting that Quayson’s application to renounce his foreign citizenship was consistent with his claim of sole allegiance to Ghana.
The judge also stressed critical flaws in the prosecution’s evidence, including inconsistencies in passport documents and statutory declarations submitted by witnesses, which significantly weakened the credibility of the case.
A visibly relieved Quayson said outside the courtroom, “Justice has prevailed. This has been a long journey, but I have always believed in the truth and the rule of law. I am grateful to God, my legal team, my constituents, and all Ghanaians who stood by me.”
The legal uncertainty that has shadowed his position in Parliament has thus finally been dispelled. He is now free to carry out his legislative duties without legal hindrance, reaffirming the will of the people of Assin North.