James Gyakye Quayson walks free after court ruling in dual citizenship saga

James Gyakye Quayson Acquitted in Dual Citizenship Case

A high court has acquitted Assin North MP James Gyakye Quayson. This decision was made on April 9, 2025. The case involved allegations of dual citizenship.

Quayson faced charges related to his citizenship status. He had been accused of holding dual citizenship when he ran for parliament in 2020. This is against the law in Ghana.

For four years, he underwent trial for forgery and perjury. Quayson denied all charges and claimed he renounced his Canadian citizenship before filing to run.

After the hearing, Quayson expressed that he expected a favorable outcome. He stated, "When a man is innocent, it will be pronounced at a later date."

Previously, the Supreme Court removed him as MP. However, he won the Assin North by-election on June 27, 2023. He was sworn in again on July 4, 2023.

During his swearing-in ceremony, John Mahama and other NDC leaders were present. In 2023, Quayson accused former Attorney General Godfred Dame of misconduct.

He claimed Dame provided conflicting testimony during the trial. Additionally, Quayson alleged that Dame used insulting language towards his lawyer in court.

In 2024, Parliament's Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee endorsed a bill on dual citizenship. This bill would allow dual citizens to hold certain public offices.

The proposal aims to remove restrictions on high-ranking positions like MPs and ambassadors. It recognizes the contributions of Ghana’s diaspora to national development.

The bill was initially published in July 2021 and republished in October 2021. The committee noted that prohibiting dual citizens from public office hinders development efforts in Ghana.