Daniel Agbavor: Police guard of Madina MP interdicted

The police bodyguard of Madina MP, Francis-Xavier Sosu, has been interdicted by the Police Service for alleged misconduct.

In a statement, the police said Inspector Daniel Agbavor ‘recklessly’ drove into a crowd during the protest in Madina last Tuesday. The statement added the officer’s action endangered the lives of two officers, who filed a report after the incident.

It added the Parliamentary Protection Unit of the service has been tasked to assign a new officer to the lawmaker.

Below is the full statement:

The petition

Sosu petitioned the Speaker of Parliament to cite Assistant Commissioner of Police Isaac Kojo Asante, regional operations commander, and Assistant Commissioner of Police Eric Winful, the Adenta/Abokobi divisional commander, for contempt of Parliament.

He said the police tried to take him forcibly to the station for questioning without relaying the motive to him.

Sosu further said the two police officers failed to acknowledge him as a sitting MP 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,” Sosu said.

“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 [sic] the authority and dignity of Parliament and a Member of Parliament,” he added. 

Failed arrest on Sunday

On Sunday (31 October), Sosu escaped another arrest at the Believers House of Prayer Ministries in Madina.

NDC supporters massed up at the church as security men reportedly arrived there to pick him up.

The Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak, was seen in a clip widely circulated on social media whisking his colleague MP away to an undisclosed location.

Condemnation

Meanwhile, the MP for Ningo Prampram, Sam George, has questioned security personnel were present at the church.

“So why is the Ghana Police Service disregarding a directive from the Rt Honourable Speaker of Parliament on the intention to arrest the Honourable MP for Madina, Lawyer Francis-Xavier Sosu?” he asked in a Facebook post.

“Who are the police officers at the church premises at Ritz Junction in Madina seeking to arrest the MP?” he continued. “Is the IGP aware of this order and what it means in the face of Mr Speaker’s directives?”

George added: “Well, we can assure the IGP and the police officers involved that the full might of Parliament’s Privileges Committee would be brought to bear on their actions if they want a show down.

“Enough of the disrespect for Parliament. The constitution is clear on the processes to arrest a sitting Member of Parliament. We would respond in full measure and drastically! That is a promise!”

Source: Daily Mail GH