The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has referred a contempt case involving two police officers against the Member of Parliament for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu to the privileges committee.
The speaker’s directive is in response to a petition by the MP for Madina to cite ACP Isaac Kojo Asante, the Accra regional operations commander and ACP Eric Winful, the Adenta/ Abokobi divisional commander for contempt of Parliament for allegedly manhandling him.
Sosu petitioned the Speaker of Parliament to cite ACP Isaac Kojo Asante, Regional Operations Commander and ACP Eric Winful, the Adenta/Abokobi Divisional Commander of Police for contempt of Parliament.
He said the police tried to forcefully take him to the station for questioning without relaying the motive and
Sosu said the two police officers also failed to acknowledge him as a sitting Member of Parliament who had a parliamentary call to attend and could not be apprehended until the Speaker of Parliament is contacted.
“It took the intervention of the teeming youth to rescue me and lead me to my vehicle where I finally sped off from the scene.
“Mr Speaker, I consider the said conduct as not only being unprofessional and against Police Service Instructions, but also an act which turns to undermine the authority and dignity of Parliament and a Member of Parliament,” Sosu said.
Listen to the audio below:
He added, “In flagrant breach of the laws of Ghana which relates to privileges of Members of Parliament, the officers mentioned herein, led the way and attempted to forcefully apprehend me in the presence of my constituents, an act which I verily believe amounts to contempt of Parliament.”
He wants the Speaker to take action with respect to Article 117 of the 1992 Constitution and Order 28 of the Standing Orders of Parliament.
The Speaker expressed his strongest reservations on the conduct of the police against the Members of Parliament.
Listen to the audio below:
“In the circumstances, I can only under Order 31 direct that the matter be referred to the Committee of Privileges. The committee will investigate the complaint and will submit a report to the House for the full consideration of the matter,” Bagbin said.
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