Interdiction of Sosu’s bodyguard could affect morale of other officers – Bagbin

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has spoken against the interdiction of Inspector Daniel Agbavor, the Police officer assigned to guard Madina lawmaker, Francis-Xavier Sosu.

A statement issued by Deputy Clerk of Parliament, Eric Owusu Mensah on behalf of the Speaker on Wednesday, November 3 said “Mr Speaker acknowledges that the Police Service requires the support of everyone to conduct their affairs and that support will be granted, provided their services are within the boundaries of the law and rules established by the provisions of the 1992 constitution and other laws governing democracy and all civilized societies.

“The Police service should also not be allowed to use threats of administrative sanctions to make ineffective the Parliamentary Protection Unit by interdicting officers who are lawfully protecting their principles and whose only crime, if any, is to be assigned to protect a Member of Parliament.

“The Rt Honourable Speaker believes that the action taken by the Police Service to interdict the bodyguard of the Hon Member of Parliament for Madina could potentially affect the morale of all bodyguards of Members of Parliament and weaken the ability of the guards to provide the needed protection of Members of Parliament in generals.”

Inspector Agbavor was cited for alleged misconduct, forming the reason for his interdiction.

He is accused to have recklessly driven into a crowd after a protest on the Ayi Mensah-Danfa Road, endangering the lives of two senior officers and other civilians.

The Parliamentary Protection Unit was tasked to assign a new guard to the first-time MP.

Meanwhile, a Former Member of Parliament for South Tongu, Mr. Kenneth Dzirasah, has told the Police to know their limit when it comes to arresting a Member of Parliament.

His comment comes after the Police are seeking to arrest Madina Member of Parliament for allegedly being involved in violent protests in his constituency.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP had led some of his constituents to embark on a demonstration against deplorable roads in his constituency.

The demonstration started peacefully at Danfa around 6:00 am but later saw demonstrators burning tyres and mounting roadblocks on the Ayi Mensah-Danfa Road.

An allegation Mr. Sosu had denied saying “That any allegation of the Police about my involvement in an unlawful blockade of road and destruction of public property is false and an afterthought carefully manufactured by the police to shift the attention of the people of Ghana from the key issues of bad roads raised by our protest and demonstration.”

The Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Bagbin last Monday also denied a request by the Police to release Mr. Sosu to them for arrest.

In a letter dated October 28, addressed to the Deputy Director-General of Criminal Investigation Division, F.K. Agyei, the Speaker indicated that due to limitations of Articles 117 and 118 of the 1992 Constitution, Mr. Sosu could not be released.

“I am directed by the Rt. Hon. Speaker to inform you that proceedings of the 3rd Meeting of the 1st Session of the 8th Parliament commenced on Tuesday 26th October 2021 and having regard to the limitations of articles 117 and 118 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic, he is unable to release the Member of Parliament as requested in your letter,” Deputy Director of Legal Services, Nana Tawiah Okyir wrote on behalf of the Clerk of Parliament.

Speaking on this in an interview with TV3’s Komla Adom on the mid-day news Monday, November 1, Kenneth Dzirasah said “I am of the strong opinion that the Speaker’s letter to the Police is in order.

“The rights of MPs have been abused in the past. Nana Addo himself, ET Mensah, Dr. Frank Abu, were arrested during their tenure as MPs. That is not satisfactory enough.

“It is about time that the Police know their limit. That is my perspective on the matter.”

TWI NEWS