Kobina Tahir Hammond

Trade Minister Kobina Tahir (KT) Hammond, has urged the legal team of Assin North Member of Parliament (MP James Gyakye Quayson) to go back and read the rudiments of the law.

An Accra High Court on Thursday said it does not find KT Hammond guilty of contempt following some comments made regarding the outcome of Mr Quayson’s trial.

Speaking in an interview after the ruling, the Adansi Asokwa MP said freedom of speech won in the contempt case.

“The judge was very articulate to the point, very legal in her analysis, very clear and in the end, freedom of speech has been vindicated. I want the lawyers of Gyakye Quayson to understand that you don’t take KT Hammond to court as a victim, as stated by his lawyer, Abraham Amaliba.

“He [Mr Amaliba] stood here, at the forecourt of this very building and told the whole world that they decided to institute this application against me as a victim, and I am no one’s victim at all. They should go back and read the rudiments of the law,” he told Accra-based TV3.

Mr Quayson’s lawyers had asked the High Court to punish Mr Hammond for saying James Quayson may as well leave Parliament since he would end up in jail.

Their application followed an interview the Minister granted to Oyerepa TV during which he compared the Quayson case to that of late former legislator, Adamu Sakande.

But the presiding judge, Justice Mary Yanzuh said the lawyers for Mr Quayson did not produce the full interview to enable the court convict the accused.

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