James Agalga
The Minority in Parliament has blamed government, Parliament and Ghana Police Service for not taking any punitive action against the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, for instigating violence against individuals and groups in the country.
The Minority accused Mr Agyapong of abetment of crime in the recent killing of Ahmed Hussein-Suale, an undercover journalist and member of the Tiger Eye P.I by unknown gunmen and called for his immediate arrest and prosecution.
Mr. Hussein-Suale was killed by unidentified gunmen at Madina, Accra on Wednesday, January 16.
The Minority made the call at a press conference yesterday in Parliament, which was addressed jointly by the Minority’s spokesperson on Defence and Interior, James Agalga and Minority Chief Whip, Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka.
Mr. Agalga said the Assin Central MP clearly abetted crime by splashing the picture of the slain journalist and calling on members of the public to beat him up for reward on Net 2 TV and Oman FM, both in Accra.
He made reference to Section 20 (1) of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
Mr Agalga claimed the Assin North MP appeared to be liable for several offences ranging from assault, causing harm, causing harm with the use of offensive weapon, attempted murder and murder by instigating the public against the journalist.
He further explained that per the law, the offence of abetting a crime through instigating violence was committed even though no member of the public lifted a finger in furtherance of the invitation, stressing that the Assin Central MP should have been promptly arrested and prosecuted for his public instigation of violence against the two men.
“We find this situation deeply worrying and uncharacteristic of a democratic and civilized country like Ghana”.
Mr Agalga disclosed that the behaviour of the Assin Central MP had compelled a US Congressman, Henry Hank Johnson Jnr, to call on the US State Department to institute punitive action against Mr Agyapong, who has interests in the US.
The Minority Chief Whip, Mubarak Muntaka, on his part, said such impunity by an MP of a ruling government could not have happened under the NDC, saying such behaviour was embarrassing to government.
He said when Parliament resumes the Minority would drag the Assin North MP before the Privileges Committee for his utterances.
“I hope this time round Parliament will be bold to take a punitive action against the Assin Central MP and not take any partisan side.”
By Thomas Fosu Jnr