The Supreme Court has released its written judgement on the dual citizenship case brought before it against now former Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North James Gyakye Quayson.
After its ruling on Wednesday, May 17, ordering Parliament to expunge Mr Gyakye Quayson’s name from all records, the seven-member panel promised to issue the written judgement later.
The decision was a unanimous one, nonetheless.
The announcement to release the judgement on a subsequent date did not go down well with the Minority in Parliament, whose members on the Appointments Committee threatened to hold on to a decision on Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo as the nominated Chief Justice until the written judgement is made available.
On Monday, June 5, the apex court of the country released the judgement. It was written by Justice Nene Amegatcher on behalf of the seven justices.
“Since the 1st defendant had not received his certificate of renunciation as a Canadian citizen as of 9th October, 2020, then he was not qualified to be a Member of Parliament at the time that he filed his nomination papers, at the time he stood for elections, and at the time he was declared as elected Member of Parliament, because he owed allegiance to another country as at 9th October 2020, the date when he should have satisfied the qualification criteria,” part of the judgement read.
Click here for the full judgement