“Many people in Ghana are above the law” – Speaker of Parliament

The adage “the law is no respecter of persons” is frequently heard in Ghana, although Alban Bagbin, the country’s speaker of parliament, disagrees.

The seasoned politician claimed that in Ghana, “so many people are above the law.”

As part of his attempts to improve relations between the Parliament and the media, the Speaker made this statement while visiting the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) office in Accra to meet with management and the editorial team.

James Gyakye Quayson, the incoming member of parliament for Assin North, was given a daily trial by the High Court in response to the allegations of perjury and forgery that were brought against him. Mr. Bagbin commented on the judgment, saying it was improper for the court to subject Mr. Quayson to that process.

“I believe that we should abandon the practice of rule by law in favor of the rule of law. The rule of law is the cornerstone of democracy. I explain to them and the judges that it is wrong. I don’t mind if it happens to everyone, but if it only happens to some people, I have a problem.

“The law is no respecter of persons,” he continued, “and that is one of the flaws in our constitution. You can understand the law is a respecter of so many people by reading our constitution. In Ghana, a huge number of people disregard the law. Democracy is impossible with that, thus we must strive diligently to change it.

In order to support calls for a constitutional review, the speaker urged the audience, emphasizing that “it is something we must take up.”

James Gyakye Quayson’s trial will begin being heard every day on July 4, 2023, according to a decision made by the Accra High Court, which is presided over by Justice Mary Yanzuh.

The court determined that there was no basis for reviewing its order from June 16 announcing this arrangement.

Many people, including the MP-elect’s legal team, objected to the judgment.

The court insisted that adjournments were made at the judge’s discretion and not for the parties’ benefit. This court’s decision was unequivocally legal. There was no proof that the directive broke the law anywhere.

“The court did not breach his rights by refusing to grant him campaign time. The judge said that a simple refusal by the court does not entail a denial of the right to a fair trial.

After being accused by the Attorney-General’s Office, Mr. Quayson is currently being tried for forgery and perjury.

He is also accused of deceiving a public officer and knowingly making a false declaration when he filed nominations to contest in the 2020 election when he had not renounced his Canadian citizenship.

Source: Mynewsghana.com