Speaking at a press conference on Monday at Parliament House in Accra, James Agalga, former deputy Minister and now Ranking Member, Defence and Interior said: “we call on the law enforcement agencies to promptly arrest Mr. Agyapong and prosecute him for his actions”
According to the minority, their basis calling the security agencies to arrest their colleague Member of Parliament is boldly written in the provisions of section 20(1) of the Criminal and Other Offences Act,1960(Act 29).
The section specifies that: “a person who, directly or indirectly, instigate, commands, counsel, procures, solicit, or in any manner purposely aids, facilitates, encourages, or promotes, whether by a personal act or presence or otherwise, and a person who does an act for the purposes of aiding, facilitating, encouraging, or promoting the commission of criminal offence by any other person, whether known or unknown, certain, or uncertain, commits the criminal offence of abetting that criminal offence, and of abetting the other person in respect of that criminal offence”.
“It is on this basis that we are saying Mr. Agyapong appears to bear some criminal responsibility for the death of Ahmed, and criminal responsibility for instigating the public to beat up Ahmed and cause harm to Mr. Anas Aremeyaw Anas for monetary reward”, the minority noted.
They further contend that Mr. Agyapong appears to have abetted several offences ranging from assault, causing harm, causing harm with the use of an offensive weapon, attempted murder and murder by instigating the public by reaching out to the public to visit the indicated violence on them. “And by the operation of our law, the offence of abetting a crime through instigating violence is committed even if no member of the public lifts a finger in furtherance of the invitation”, they added.
The minority also accounted that in the case of Ahmed, who was shot dead in cold blood, they cannot help but point to Mr. Agyapong’s express and televised instigation of the public to visit violence on Ahmed also for monetary reward.
“Mr. Agyapong’s conduct, and the obvious lack of action by the law enforcement agencies leads to only one conclusion – that Mr. Agyapong is above the laws of Ghana and he enjoys impunity free from prosecution. Chillingly, the government of Nana Akufo-Addo is dead silent on the matter and has watched on as Mr. Agyapong makes nonsense of the laws of Ghana. This cannot be allowed to continue, and Nana Addo must show leadership” James Agalga said.
The minority also hinted that when the House resumes from recess, they shall commence processes to drag Kennedy Agyapong before the Privileges Committee for sanctions.
The Minority also expects investigations to be broadened to ensure that all the perpetrators of this atrocious crime are brought to justice.
“We must caution Government against treating this matter like earlier investigations that have been shabbily handled with their outcomes remaining what is at best a mystery. Ghanaians and the international community would not accept that. We insist that the Akufo-Addo administration must sharply depart from the inglorious examples it set in the BOST Scandal, the Deputy Chiefs of Staff Allegations, the Australia Visa Scandal and ironically, the Anas Number 12 investigations” he added.
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By: Sammy Agyei/Frontpageghana.com/Ghana
