Member of Parliament for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu has said the allegation made against him by the Police to effect that he was involved in an unlawful blockade of road and destruction of public property, is not true.
He described the allegation as afterthought and carefully manufactured by the police to shift attention of the people of Ghana from the key issues of bad roads raised by our protest and demonstration.
The Police are seeking to arrest him for allegedly involving in a violent protests in is 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 6:00am but later saw demonstrators burning tyres and mounting roadblocks on the Ayi Mensah-Danfa Road.
TV3’s reporter Joseph Armstrong Gold-Alor said this action by the residents led to reinforcement from the police, whose Formed Police Unit (FPU) rushed to the scene with combat vehicles.
After he addressed the demonstrators, reiterating the power of the people over people in power, the MP came under attack from the police, who attempted to pick him up.
There was commotion as a result of the attempted arrest.
The demonstrating residents, however, resisted the police and vowed to fight back if their representative in Parliament is arrested.
The police then arrested one of the opinion leaders. He is said to be a chief of the area.
But in a statement on Tuesday November 2, he said “That any allegation of the Police about my involvement in unlawful blockade of road and destruction of public property is false and an afterthought carefully manufactured by the police to shift attention of the people of Ghana from the key issues of bad roads raised by our protest and demonstration.”
Below is his full statement…
2nd November, 2021
RE: POLICE INVESTIGATION INTO A PROTEST LED BY
HOURABLE FRANCIS-XAVIER SOSU AND INTERDICTION OF INSPECTOR DANIEL AGBAVOR, MY PERSONAL BODYGUARD
My attention has been drawn to the Press Releases of the Ghana Police Service dated 31st October, 2021 on the above subjects. I am utterly shocked by the content of the said releases and would want to set the records straight in the mind of right-thinking members of society.
I want to place on record that this is the first time the Ghana Police Service is disclosing the reason for their invitation and their attempted unlawful arrest.
That any allegation of the Police about my involvement in unlawful blockade of road and destruction of public property is false and an afterthought carefully manufactured by the police to shift attention of the people of Ghana from the key issues of bad roads raised by our protest and demonstration.
In the early hours of the demonstration, ACP Winful, called me to complain that his men on the ground said some of the angry youth and trotro drivers were massing up, blocking roads and some burning tyres. A simple court order for his communication with me between 6:30 to 6:45 am or there about will reveal this truth.
That I assured him that this was not our agreed plan and that once I get to the venue I will help de-escalate the situation. Indeed, once I got to Ayi Mensah, there was an Obonu FM reporter who joined my car and was with me till we got to Kweiman, where there was a road block. I got out of my car and went to speak to the youth in the presence of the Police until we got them to clear the roads for people to move.
From Kweiman, I drove to Danfa where we had a similar incident together with the burning of tyres. There again, I got out of my car, in the presence of the Police and together with some of the officers, spoke with the angry youth and got them to join us all the way to Otinibi.
At Otinibi, I addressed the gathering, after which, together with the Police and with the Leadership of the Police, we matched through the street until we got to Ayi Mensah without any further incidence where I addressed the media.
This sequence of event was carried by several media houses with live Facebook feeds and Officers of the Ghana Police Service were with us throughout the event until we ended. In fact, the youth Leaders, 10 Assembly members who were present, Leaders of GPRTU, the Chiefs and Elders of Ayi Mensah and the media and the Policemen who were there in the early hours before I got to the Demonstration will all attest to the fact that the Police Administration is only twisting facts to back their unlawful arrest and needless interference with my work as a Member of Parliament.
When the Police invited me, I informed them that I was on my way to the Ranking and Deputy Ranking Members meeting in Parliament. I also informed them that if this is an arrest it will be an unlawful arrest particularly when they did not tell me the reasons for that arrest. Parliamentary immunity only came in because I was on my way to Parliament after the Protest when they wanted me to go with them. There are signed evidence of attendance to Ranking and Deputy Ranking Members Meeting dated 25th October, 2021 for verification.
That the Police only arrested the Danfa Youth Chief and another person because they claimed he helped me escape arrest. The Third person was never arrested. He willingly joined the Police vehicle because he said he wanted to know where they were sending his chief. It was at the station that he was informed that since all of them were brought from the demonstration they were all going to be charged.
That they were interrogated in respect of alleged involvement in unlawful assembly without notice to police and obstruction of Police in the performance of their duty. When Lawyers of the MP showed evidence of Notices to and from the Ghana Police Service, they were immediately released on bail. No one was interrogated, cautioned or charged on Blockage of road and destruction of Public property. The Police is simply lying.
It is sad to note that the Police again, is lying about their attempt to arrest me on October 31, 2021 at the Believers Prayer Ministries in Madina. The Police indeed were there with men who claimed they were from the IGP’s Office. They came with a US Texas State Ford Pickup with massive weapons and handcuffs at the back of the car, with customized number plate GH – BANGA 1. One of the people who led was called Inspector Boakye Ansah and they came with a number of men who were all not in uniformed. They informed the Head pastor and many of our youth Leaders who confronted them that they were there to arrest me.
The Police Administration has nothing to investigate about this demonstration. The Police were part of the demonstration from the beginning till the end. There were no casualties, no destruction of public or private property. The Police attempt at my arrest is a deliberate attempt to reduce my confidence and my articulation of the need of my people. I won’t stop fighting for the people of Madina. We will organize further multiple peaceful protests because it is our constitutional duty to do so to hold government accountable.
In any event, the Police took steps to write to the Speaker of Parliament and the Rt. Hon. Speaker indicated to the Police that because I had raised the matter before Parliament and the matter has been referred to the Privileges Committee, it will be prudent that whatever the Police wishes to do will abide with the decision of the Privileges Committee.
The 2nd attempt at unlawfully arresting me was after the Police was served the said letter of the Speaker of Parliament in clear disrespect to the Speaker. What is worse is that the Police went ahead to interdict my personal body guard. This is the height of lawlessness from an institution under the supervision of Parliament with an executive duty to maintain law and order. I have instructed my Lawyers to write to the Ghana Police Service for a copy of the said interdiction letter. This interdiction is a clear violation of immunity and privileges I enjoy as a Member of Parliament for the performance of my duty as an MP.
It is strange that the Police will to go all this length to cause emotional and psychological trauma to a Member of Parliament and his family only because the said member led a lawful protest with his people, and forget about the fact that recent violent crimes are up by 20% as at June, 2021. The Police Administration is more interested in Politicking than fighting crime and that is a shame and indictment on the current IGP and an indictment on our democracy.
I remain a law-abiding citizen and will support and cooperate with the police only when their conduct is lawful. Justice for All. Injustice to None.
I encourage all Ghanaians, my Constituents, family and friends who have been worried about me and have sent several messages and called several times to remain calm knowing that Great Leaders are born out of great adversities.
As I wait patiently for the position that the Parliamentary Leadership may take on these matters, I have instructed my Lawyers to institute Human Rights Actions against the Ghana Police Service and all legitimate actions to ward off this needless attack on me and on my work as a Member of Parliament and my Personal Bodyguard Inspector Daniel AGBAVOR.
I am resolute, focused and more committed to serve the people of Madina. FRANCIS-XAVIER SOSU (ESQ)
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR MADINA