News:
August 24, 2010
Adamu Daramani Sakande, Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, yesterday prayed an Accra Fast Track High Court for more time to enable the immigration expert from the United Kingdom who prepared the immigration documents for him to arrive.
Egbert Faibille counsel for the MP told the court, presided over by Justice Charles Quist that the expert, who is a lawyer, is expected in the country to testify as star witness in the on-going trial of the MP who has been accused of perjury.
Mr Faibille told the court, in response to a submission by Rexford Wiredu, Principal State, Attorney that the MP should open his defence, that it was not a deliberate attempt to delay the trial as the immigration expert was not in Britain at the moment but was in the United States and would return in October.
According to him, the witness would arrive and tender certain relevant documents which would be very useful to their case, without which the accused person would find it difficult to open his case since the whole trial borders on his renunciation of his Citizenship.
When the trial judge said the MP could open his defence and allow the witness to arrive later,Mr Faibille explained that due to the nature of the case, they would prefer the one who prepared the immigration documents to be around to tender the documents since the original documents are in his possession.
Counsel for the MP consequently prayed the court to give his client ample time to prepare himself as the charges were very serious in nature and the law allows for enough time for an accused person to gather all resources at his disposal to defend himself.
The trial judge adjourned the case to September 16, 2010.
On the last hearing date, Justice Quist dropped six out of nine charges against the MP.
Nevertheless he said the MP had a case to answer on three charges of false declaration of office perjury and deceiving a public officer, saying the prosecution had been able to lay the necessary foundation, for which reason he would have to open his defence.
Source: Daily Guide