Veteran politician, Kwame Pianim, has asked the Electoral Commission (EC) and political parties to work in ways that reduce the possibility of electoral cases being sent to court for adjudication.
Speaking in relation to the daily trial of Assin North Member of Parliament (MP), James Gyakye Quayson, he said such political cases weaken the independence of the courts and make them susceptible to partisanship.
“Political parties and the EC should make sure that elections are won at the ballot box not in the court. If you put politics in front of the courts you are weakening them, you are making them become partisan. Let them be free because once we lose the independence of the judiciary there will be no justice in this country,” he said on Accra-based TV3.
An Accra High Court ruled that nothing stops it from proceeding with the case despite multiple legal processes filed at the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
The legislator is standing trial for allegedly committing offences including perjury and forgery.
The court had earlier indicated it will hold its hearing on a day-to-day basis. Mr Quayson has since been pushing to set this aside causing him to file legal processes at the Court of Appeal.
He also filed another action at the Supreme Court making a similar request adding that the Attorney General has failed to furnish him with the full complement of evidence to be used against him.
Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, disagreed with this view and pointed out that the court should proceed since no order has been issued by either the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court.
The court presided over by Justice Mary Yanzuh, ruled that in the absence of any court order halting proceedings, the court will proceed with the case.
The Minority Caucus has already boycotted the business of Parliament four times to accompany Mr Quayson in court.
They have carried through with the threats and their actions hindered parliamentary proceedings with the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, cautioning the Caucus that the action is against the Standing Orders of the House.
Mr Bagbin, thus, ruled that the Minority’s boycott of business activities without an official notification and approval from him amounts to a breach of the standing orders of the House which could lead to members of the group losing their seats.
But the NDC MPs insist their action will only be halted if the ongoing criminal case against its colleague, Mr Quayson is dropped.
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