Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has slammed the Judiciary for granting an injunction filed by Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng to stop him from making further publications on him and citing him for contempt.
According to him, “I am ever ready to be a political prisoner of conscience than to be coerced and compromised into a behind-the-scenes deal with the corrosive enemies of the Republic”.
The North Tongu MP who responded to the contempt charges filed against him for kicking court summons in a post on his Facebook page slammed the judiciary by stating that “Let the cowardly forces of tyranny be told that I am not one to be frightened with imprisonment”.
The lawmaker lamented that “a country where parliamentarians carrying out their constitutional oversight mandate become victims of state-sponsored harassment, strange court injunctions and judicial threats of imprisonment even as double identity charlatans are protected and pampered by a nation in the dark abyss”.
He mentioned that “Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, late JJ Rawlings, Mandela, Kenyatta, Sisulu, Motlanthe, Desmond Tutu, Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jnr., Thomas Mapfumo, Andrei Sakharov, Antonia Grams, ci and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva have all taught us to overcome the fear of prison and be constantly of the indomitable belief that Truth and Justice cannot be imprisoned”.
Okudzeto expressed heartfelt appreciation and profound gratitude for the overwhelming solidarity and words of encouragement, “I have received since the series of cathedral exposés in the pursuit of my constitutional mandate of oversight, and in the face of the current fascist machinations to use the judiciary and other state institutions to silence and intimidate me”.
He also thanked former President John Mahama, the NDC executive led by Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the NDC Council of Elders chaired by Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang, North Tongu constituents, the rank and file of NDC comrades across the country, Civil Society Organisations, activists, genuine pastors, among others for supporting his agenda.
Minority Defense
Meanwhile, the Minority Leader, in a statement said the action against Okudzeto is tantamount to a palpable constitutional affront owing to the matter being of enormous public interest.
The Minority Leader, Ato Forson, described it as “most shocking” that the court will grant an exparte injunction in a matter of this nature and particularly when incontrovertible court records show that the man who now claims to be Kwabena Adu Gyamfi with an alias as Victor Kusi Boateng only recently obtained judgment from the same judiciary as Victor Kusi Boateng.
He claimed, granting the injunction is an abuse of the judiciary by certain undemocratic elements seeking to gag NDC Members of Parliament and prevent them from carrying out their constitutional mandate of oversight.
“Ambushing an MP with a secret video recording on the premises of a television station after an interview by people ironically claiming to be apostles of the protection of privacy as happened to our distinguished colleague, Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa on the precincts of Metro TV on the 3rd of February, 2023 can only be the orchestration of a frustrated and lawless cabal,” the Minority stated.
Ato Forson directed his attack on the governing NPP accusing the government of shielding lawbreakers and pursuing lawmakers.
“It is a real travesty that under the current government, offenders are shielded and emboldened while diligent and patriotic Members of Parliament fulfilling their constitutional mandate are vilified, witch-hunted, and threatened with imprisonment,” the statement noted.
The Minority caucus expressed its full confidence in the impressive, courageous, and patriotic parliamentary oversight qualities with which Okudzeto Ablakwa has pursued the National Cathedral conflict of interest and dual identity scandal.
“Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa can count on our unflinching solidarity, especially during the pendency of that unmeritorious, vexatious, and ridiculous Kwabena Adu Gyamfi—Victor Kusi Boateng case,” it added.
The statement indicated that “We are determined to boldly pursue all aspects of this scandal-plagued National Cathedral project and the related matters of conflict of interest, dual identity, diversions, procurement breaches, and blatant corruption without let or hindrance during this 3rd Session of the 8th Parliament.”
“We shall be disappointing God and our dear countrymen and women if we fail in this noble mission,” it said.
The Minority caucus said it shall not be intimidated or cowed by judicial abuse, tyranny, and fascist tactics.
Background
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has been making a series of publications on Rev Kusi Boateng in recent weeks.
These include allegations of illegal transfer of state funds meant for the construction of the National Cathedral into his (Rev Kusi Boateng’s) company account as well as having a double identity.
Mr. Ablakwa alleged that Rev Kusi Boateng has managed to secure state documents with the name Kwabena Adu Gyamfi bearing different dates of birth and the name of his mother.
Rev Victor Kusi Boateng also sued the legislator for defamation.
The Plaintiff in his statement of claim stated that the defendant [M.r Ablakwa’s] insinuations against him are “not only misleading but calculated to injure his reputation.”
-BY Daniel Bampoe