Francis-Xavier Sosu
THE TRIAL of Member of Parliament (MP) for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu, who was charged for his alleged involvement in a demonstration that led to the blockage of road and the destruction of property in some parts of his constituency, has been adjourned to October 11, 2022.
The case was adjourned as a result of the Kaneshie Magistrate Court not sitting yesterday. It was not clear why the court did not sit.
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 has been charged with obstruction of public way, causing damage to other road users and unlawful damage, to which he pleaded not guilty. He was granted a self-recognisance bail by the court.
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 a 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 prosecution led by DSP Sylvester Asare, 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 Kufuor, then noted that there was too much ‘deception’ in the system, and subsequently issued a warrant for the arrest of Mr. Sosu. The order was later rescinded after the MP appeared before the court and his plea was taken.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak