Private legal practitioner lawyer Tachie Antiedu has expressed worry over delays in dealing with parliamentary election disputes in Ghana.
The respected lawyer posited that it should not take more than a month for us to deal with parliamentary election disputes.
He is proposing to the judiciary to put in measures to expedite such cases as we did for the 2020 presidential election petition.
Speaking on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, he said we must move away from the point where parliamentary election petitions run for years when we could introduce measures to reduce them to a month.
He was speaking to host Kwabena Agyapong.
He said “My worry is how we treat parliamentary elections in Ghana. It is not helpful. We have adopted ways to expedite presidential election petitions in Ghana. We should do the same for the parliamentary elections. Presidential elections cover the whole country but a parliamentary election covers only one constituency, so why can’t we hear the cases in about a month?”
He was responding to the ongoing court case involving disputed NDC Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson.
The MP is facing five counts of criminal offences.
He facing 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
The lawyer was of the view that such case must be dealt with expeditiously.
He said if at the end of the proceedings, he is declared as fit to hold office, we would have subjected him to a lot.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
