Francis-Xavier Sosu
A Kaneshie Magistrate Court has ordered the prosecution in the trial of Member of Parliament (MP) for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu, to serve the accused with the witness statements of all their witnesses as well as all documents they intend to rely on for the trial.
The court gave the order after counsel for the accused, Victor Adawudu, withdrew two applications which were seeking a stay of proceedings and also to set aside a bench warrant for the arrest of the MP.
The prosecution led by ASP Sylvester Asare had asked the court for directions in the matter, indicating that the two applications were still pending and inquired whether the defence intended to pursue them so that the prosecution can take its stand.
Mr. Adawudu told the court that they wish to withdraw the application which was seeking an order for the bench warrant to be to set aside as the accused person had appeared before the court and the bench warrant was rescinded.
He also withdrew another application filed on December 29, 2021 which was seeking a stay of proceedings and urged the court to strike out both applications.
He urged the court to order the prosecutions to file their disclosures to facilitate speedy trial.
ASP Asare said the prosecution did not file the disclosures due to the pending applications. He prayed the court to adjourn the matter to allow them file their disclosures in view of the fact that the applications have been withdrawn.
The court presided over by His Worship Oheneba Kuffuor adjourned the matter to March 14, 2022.
Mr. Sosu had on previous court appearance pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against him and was granted a self-recognisance bail by the court.
Trial
Mr. Sosu, a lawyer, is before the court following a demonstration he organised on October 25, 2021, to push for good roads in his constituency but it ended up in violence, according to the police.
He was charged for his alleged involvement in a demonstration that led to blockage of road and destruction of property in some parts of his constituency.
He has been charged with obstruction of public way, causing damage to other road users and unlawful damage.
The MP’s appearance before the court on his own follows the decision of the court to rescind a warrant it issued for his arrest after he failed to show up for the trial three consecutive times.
He failed to show up for the third time after the Speaker of Parliament had written to the court on two previous occasions that the MP was on parliamentary duties outside Ghana.
His lawyer, Victor Adawudu had told the court that Mr. Sosu was in a meeting in Parliament regarding the Anti LGBTQ+ Bill and the MP had sent one Rahman to represent him.
The prosecutor prior to the issuing of the bench warrant had told the court that no one is above the law and the court has so much power and nobody can undermine that power, adding that “this court should not be used to mark register.”
Mr. Adawudu in his bid to convince the court not to issue the bench warrant indicated that they had been candid with the court and his client should not be punished as he had not misled the court.
The court presided over by His Worship Oheneba Kuffuor then noted that there was too much ‘deception’ in the system and subsequently issued a warrant for the arrest of Mr. Sosu.
By Gibril Abdul Razak