AG’s Alleged Incomplete Disclosures Prompt Assin North MP’s Lawyers to Pursue Stay of Proceedings in Supreme Court

Lawyers of Assin North Member of Parliament James Gyakye Quayson have filed an application at the Supreme Court to stop High Court from hearing his criminal trial until the determination of the Appeal at the Court of Appeal.

The High Court has therefore adjourned his criminal trial to Tuesday, July 18 by which time the Supreme Court may have determined the application.

Speaking to journalists after the court hearing on Friday, July 14, one of his lawyers Abraham Amaliba said “Lawyers for Gyakye Quayson indicated that because disclosures were not fully made in accordance with the Republic vrs Baffoe Bonney case, there is a need to stay proceedings and so this argument was forcefully made and the judge adjourned to the 18th for a determination whether or not he will stay proceedings or to go ahead with the trial.

“On Wednesday Gyakye Quaysons lawyers filed an application for a stay of proceedings at the Court of Appeal, they followed with another application for certiorari [ a writ or order by which a higher court reviews a case tried in a lower court] at the Supreme Court and so today was the day that the court allowed the two lawyers from both sides to address on the implications of those two applications.

“It turned out that from the side of the NDC, Gyakye Quayson’s lawyers, we were putting out the argument that we could not proceed with the trial once these applications are pending before higher courts than the High Court, particularly the application for certiorari which is before the Supreme Court.

“In that application, we are seeking some relief which are; because the Attorney-General failed to fully make disclosures to the lawyers of Gyakye Quasyon there was the need for the Supreme Court to determine that matter because the disclosures were not fully made

“The rules are that you must fully disclose but in this case, the AG did some half disclosures.”