I'll go to the Supreme Court if the trial takes place on the day of the parliamentary sitting – Ayariga

General News on Wednesday, June 5th, 2019

Source: citinewsroom.com

2019-06-05

Mahama Ayariga, Bawku's central MP, intends to appeal to the Supreme Court for an interpretation of the constitution of the deputies' privileges and to know if he is obliged to honor an invitation to appear. a court on the day of a parliamentary sitting.

Ayariga said Tuesday in an interview with Eyewitness News that it was not disputed to honor the court appearances in the case brought against him by the special prosecutor, Martin Amidu but that it was only available Monday and the weekend to appear in court. no parliamentary work to settle.

There was a slight debate on Tuesday whether Ayariga should go to court while Parliament was sitting.

The judge in the case insisted that the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye, told Ayariga that the MP for Bawku Central could only honor the invitations of the courts when it was not necessary for him to do so. exercised no parliamentary activity, in accordance with the Constitution which stipulates that deputies must not be prevented from performing their parliamentary duties.

Ayariga, however, went to court and, after a hearing, the case was postponed to a Monday.

Previously, many had interpreted Ayariga's insistence that he would not respect court invitations, except Monday, as meaning he feared being judged.

But Ayariga said that while he was ready to defend any allegations against him in court, he would be aware that the proceedings did not interfere with his parliamentary work; therefore, it would only be available on Monday, but it would require further interpretation of the law at the Supreme Court. The court of the High Court adjusts the case at any time to a day other than Monday.

"Parliament is the president and he has ruled. He agrees with our position. When we went to court and the judge adjourned and asked for a date, we gave her Monday and she agreed with us that we should come on Monday. As long as she remains in agreement with us for us to come Monday, I will always go but the days when they say no, come on Tuesday when the parliament sits, I will raise a constitutional objection and then we will return the case to the Supreme Court and the court will rule. If the judge wants us to sit on Saturday or Sunday, I will come "

Martin Amidu in his May lawsuit against Mahama Ayariga claimed that the legislator had abused the privileges he enjoyed as a member of Parliament by getting a loan for a car, but was complicit with a private company to secure the funds and import three cheaper vehicles from Dubai and missing. to pay the appropriate fees for them on the pretext that they were badigned to official duties.

Mahama Ayariga subsequently filed a motion requesting that the charges against him by the special prosecutor be dismissed as he believed in the age of Martin Amidu. [65] prevents him from holding this position and therefore can not technically act as such to indict him.