News:
Lanchene Peter Toobu
November 4, 2021
The former executive secretary to the IGP, Lanchene Peter Toobu said the whole brouhaha surrounding the attempted arrest of Member of Parliament for Madina, Francis Xavier-Sosu, a colleague lawmaker by the police is an exercise in futility, adding that “the police and parliament must learn to work together for the national development”.
The Madina MP has escaped arrest by the Ghana Police Service following his involvement in the demonstration in part of his constituency to draw government’s attention to the bad road networks in the constituency. After the failed attempts, the police wrote to the Speaker of Parliament to release the MP for arrest, but the Speaker declined.
The Police have since charged the MP and he is due for court on November 8, 2021.
But Lanchene Peter Toobu cautioned that it should not be seen that there is competition between the Ghana Police Service and the Legislative arm of government as to who is superior, but rather they should be seen as complementing each other’s effort in building the country Ghana.
“If you think you can charge him and fly it on social media and for that matter the MP has been charged and should appear before court, the MP is not going to appear before court until he is release by the Speaker of Parliament, and the Speaker is saying, “we are very busy in parliament, I cannot release the MP”.
He further added that the former Speaker Professor Aaron Oquaye set the example that if you want an MP come to Parliament meet in the Speakers chambers to take a statement from the MP, “again if they think they have gotten enough information and want to charge him as they have done but the Speaker has responded that he would not release the Madina MP we have a lot to do”.
According to him, the power of the Speaker seems not be understood, “when the Speaker says the House is in Session and the MP represent his constituency and you say there is a criminal case he would have to come and answer, but a lawmaker has an immunity, “I know no one is above the law”.
The Wa West MP further pointed out that, there is a laid down procedure that should be followed and “we need to maintain our democracy and ensure we are growing we should go above some of these things”.
The former executive secretary to the IGP pointed out in an interview with journalists in Parliament when they go hit that the police administration had charge the Madina MP and he is supposed to appear before court on November 8, 2021, “the police have the responsibility to prevent crime and maintain law and order in addition prosecute those who offend the law”.
“The police knows that, as for charging him if they think that he has caused damage to public property, it is their right to charge him, they have the duty to prove within reasonable doubt and should have evidence to back their case that notwithstanding that, they would have to serve him properly, the fact that you find in the media that the police have charge him does not mean you would see him in court, you have to serve the MP through the Speaker”.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com