The Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, says he is not scared of going to jail if found guilty of the charges against him.
In an interview on Face to Face on Citi TV, Mr Quayson said he believes in the justice system and that he will be cleared of all charges.
Asked by host Umaru Sanda if he’s not scared he will end up in Nsawam prison if found guilty, the Assin North MP pointed out, “No, why should I? I believe in the justice system. The fundamental thing about any judicial matter is that person intended to commit that crime. Did he plan it, I have not planned anything of such”.
“My strongest conviction is that this is just a matter of time, when you believe you have done the right thing, you shouldn’t be afraid. I trust the court will deliver a very much positive verdict, I trust my lawyers, I trust the conscience of the people”.
He disclosed that he had been using his dual citizenship since 2009.
“You get your dual citizenship through the Ministry of Interior, where you bring your Canadian passport and that of Ghanaian passport, and then they give you a green certificate, which is your dual citizenship. From 2009 till the time I became just solely a Ghanaian, I was travelling from Ghana to Canada, without a visa.
“The Ghanaian authorities recognise me as a dual citizen person, so how can the same person be applying for or renewing his passport, and you say I don’t have any other nationality? It doesn’t make sense. Unless they also don’t check their own records. So I don’t fear going to jail at all,” the MP stated.
The MP is currently in court over forgery and perjury charges.
The state is going after him on charges of deceit of public officer contrary to section 251 (b) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, Act 29; forgery of passport or travel certificate, contrary to section 15 (1)(b) of Passports and Travel Certificates Act, 1967 (NLCD 155); and, knowingly making a false statutory declaration in contravention of the Statutory Declarations Act, 1971, Act 389.
He also faces perjury as per section 210 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, Act 29; and False Declaration for Office as against section 248 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, Act 29.