A former Chairman of Parliament’s Constitutional, Parliamentary and Legal Affairs Committee, Ben Abdallah has described as disturbing the seeming hardliner positions taken by Parliament and the Ghana Police Service over the Madina MP’s case.
Police have tried without success on two occasions to arrest legislator, Francis-Xavier Sosu, and have gone ahead to secure criminal summons against him in court, while Parliament has sent out strong signals that it will not countenance the position of the police.
Ben Abdallah on Eyewitness News said the development must be immediately and quickly dealt with.
“This is a very disturbing phenomenon because it involves two institutions of the state. These institutions must work hand in hand. When the police send their regulation to Parliament, Parliament must work on the regulation; when the institution of Parliament also needs protection, it is the police that gives the protection. So this current disturbing phenomenon which is unfolding and appears to be crystallizing doesn’t augur well for Parliament and the police service. The two institutions must sit down and iron out their differences,” he said.
The former Offinso South MP has also advised the Madina MP to honour the court summons.
Ben Abdallah said the summons once issued must not be disregarded.
“Sosu has to appear before the court and perhaps explain why he believes the police service is wrong. Whether the summons was rightfully or wrongfully served; the MP has been put on notice as to what he is supposed to do in court. He can not say that he is immune because this is not properly served, or he is on his way to or out of Parliament. The rest of the issue will have to be settled in court. It will be left with the court to determine the case”, he said.
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The Ghana Police Service has secured a criminal summons for the Member of Parliament for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu, to appear in court on November 8, 2021.
This follows the several failed attempts by the police to arrest the legislator alleged to have breached the law during a recent demonstration by residents of Oyarifa and its environs.
But Francis-Xavier after failing to honour police summons accused the security agency of being disingenuous with their account of events.
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Service says it takes strong exceptions to the manner the Ghana Police Service is seeking to apprehend the legislator over alleged wrongdoing.
In a response to the police, the parliamentary service intimated that, although the immunity of MPs is not absolute, the legislator cannot be hounded in a way that is unconstitutional and threatens the country’s democracy.
It also finds it incomprehensible why the police administration has failed to secure a certificate from the Speaker of the House before going ahead to effect the arrest of the MP.