Former Deputy Attorney-General, Joseph Dindiok Kpemka, has provided clarification regarding President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's recent remarks suggesting potential imprisonment for Assin North Member of Parliament-elect, James Gyakye Quayson.
Kpemka emphasized that the President's comments did not explicitly indicate Quayson's conviction.
“There was no categorical statement by the president that Gyakye Quayson will be convicted,” Kpemka stated, according to a report by 3News.com.
His remarks came in response to a speech delivered by President Akufo-Addo during his visit to the Church of Pentecost in Assin Akonfudi, in the Assin North Constituency of the Central Region, on Sunday, June 25.
In his address, the President indirectly raised the possibility of Quayson, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate in the by-elections, facing imprisonment.
He questioned the wisdom of voting for a candidate who may end up in jail, stating, “They say even if Gyakye Quayson is in jail, they will vote for him.
Are we going to vote for someone who is going to prison? What benefits will the people derive from voting for such a person? We want someone who, when voted for, can come to me and plan how to develop the constituency.”
Quayson, responding to the President's comments, maintained his innocence and stressed that he should be considered innocent until proven guilty by the court.
He expressed disappointment over the prison-related remark made by the President in relation to his ongoing criminal trial.
