Judgement Day For Jomoro MP -Nov 21 - www.asempanews.com

The Ivorian practicing lawyer Dadje Ange Rodrigue told the court that the 1st Respondent formally addressed the Minister of Justice of Cöte d’Ivoire that she was renouncing her Ivorian citizenship with immediate effect by a letter dated January 24, 2019.

He noted that in view of article 48 of the Ivorian Citizenship Code any Ivorian shall lose his or her citizenship, in case that person voluntarily acquires a foreign citizenship.

The Ivorian who testified through an interpreter noted that by acquiring the Ghanaian citizenship the 1st Respondent (the MP) lost her Ivorian citizenship as of January 2019 automatically.

Lawyer Bright Agyekum asked “So your understanding of the Article 48 is that the loss of nationality can be by a word of mouth”?

“No, but the moment an Ivorian takes on another nationality, that person automatically loses his or her Ivorian citizenship under article 48 of the Nationality code”, he asserted.

He also explained to the court that per article 52 of the Ivorian Nationality code, a person can also lose his or her nationality by forfeiture.

He disagreed with lawyer Bright Agyekum that a declaration of ones renounced nationality under article 48 of the Ivorian nationality code should be done in the presence of a presiding judge or an appointed Magistrate or a judge of a Division court in the jurisdiction where the declarant resides.