Francis-Xavier Sosu
National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu, has for the second time failed to show up before a Kaneshie Magistrate Court where he is facing criminal charges as pressed by the Ghana Police Service.
The MP was expected to appear before the court on charges of obstruction of public way, causing damage to other road users and unlawful damage on November 8, which was supposed to be his maiden appearance, after the court heard that he was out of the country.
It was the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, who had written to the court to inform the judge that the MP was on official parliamentary duties outside the jurisdiction, compelling the court to reschedule the case to yesterday.
When the case was called yesterday, the Speaker of Parliament once again wrote to inform the court that the beleaguered MP is still on a parliamentary duty in the United States and would not be available for the proceedings.
Interestingly, the same MP who is said to be on parliamentary duties was seen on social media frolicking with Kevin Taylor, the young man who has been using social media to attack and insult many personalities in the country, claiming he is seeking the betterment of Ghana.
Prosecution’s Enquiry
The prosecution led by ASP Sylvester Asare enquired from the court whether Parliament had responded to a hearing notice that was served on the MP.
“We have not received any indication that the accused person is in town but we are aware that this court caused a hearing notice to be served on the Clerk of Parliament. What we do not know is whether they have responded,” ASP Asare stated.
The court presided over by His Worship Oheneba Kufuor, indicated that the Deputy Clerk to Parliament had written to the court’s registrar informing her that the MP was still out of the country.
He, however, said he was trying to make sense of the letter because one part says the MP was attending Parliamentary sittings and the other said he was on an assignment in the United States.
“I have been directed by the Rt. Hon. Speaker to bring to the attention of the Hon. Court that the Hon. Member is attending at the proceedings of the 3rd Meeting of the 1st Session of the 8th Parliament which commenced on Tuesday 26th October, 2021, and is also currently representing Parliament and the country in a conference in the United States of America,” the letter read.
It continued that “Pursuant to Article 117 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic, I am unable to bring the service to the attention of the Member of Parliament as requested.”
Sosu Lawyer
Meanwhile, Victor Kwadjoga Adawudu, counsel for Mr. Sosu, has told the court that the accused person would be back to Ghana next week.
He said he had spoken with the MP who informed him that he was still not in the country, adding “my information is that he will be in town next week. When he is back in town he will appear before the court.”
The court therefore adjourned the matter until November 29, 2021.
Evading Arrest
The Madina MP’s blatant refusal to honour police invitation following the violent scenes recorded during the demonstration he organised on October 25, to push for good roads in his constituency, has sparked heated debate on whether or not a Member of Parliament who has committed an offence can be arrested by the police.
Video Evidence
In one video, Sosu was captured instigating the youth to block roads and cause mayhem, and he later run to Parliament to claim that he was being harassed by the police and wanted the officers looking for him rather punished by the legislature.
The police said that during the demonstration which occurred between Ayi Mensah and Amrahia in the Madina Constituency, the youth he had organised, blocked roads and burned tyres, caused destruction to property and even prevented an ambulance carrying a pregnant woman from seeking medical attention at the Dodowa District Hospital.
MP’s Bodyguard
In the ensuing heat, the police said the MP’s bodyguard who is also a policeman, drove dangerously through the crowd and put the lives of some senior officers at the scene in danger.
The policeman has since been interdicted by the Ghana Police Service.
Sosu after causing the chaos then run to Parliament to claim victim and rather caused the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, to invite two top policemen who were instrumental in pressing for his arrest, to the Privileges Committee.
Church Drama
On Sunday, October 31, the police determined to arrest the MP, reportedly swarmed a church in Madina where the MP was said to be preaching, but it was unclear if the law enforcers were there to effect the MP’s arrest.
Some of the NDC MPs thronged the Believers Church at Ritz Junction, Madina, to prevent the police from arresting the MP, and subsequently whisked him away in a vehicle.
Police Clarification
ACP Kwesi Ofori later clarified in a statement that they were not there to arrest the MP but rather to gather intelligence, saying “any plain-clothed police personnel found on the premises of the church may have been there for intelligence purposes and not to effect an arrest.”
Open Support
Mr. Bagbin, addressing participants at the first-ever Speaker’s Breakfast Forum in Kumasi appears to have gone into the case yet to be heard when he said in Kumasi that the attempt to arrest the MP was an “obstruction” since the MP “had gone through all the processes of the public order act.”
He said the MP got permission to stage the demonstration and accused the police of sending another group to arrest the MP.
The Speaker has already written through the Clerk of Parliament to the police informing them
BY Gibril Abdul Razak