Parliament may haul the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mr Nathan Kofi Boakye, before its Privileges Committee if it is established that he issued an open threat against the Member of Parliament (MP) for Asante Akyem North, Mr Kwadwo Baah Agyemang.
A ranking member of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament, Mr Joe Osei Owusu, told Parliament yesterday that Mr Kofi Boakye had threatened to arrest the MP for allegedly inciting the people of Agogo in the Ashanti Region against Fulani herdsmen.
He said the open threat against the MP was in breach of the Constitution and the privileges of an MP.
Article 116 (1) states that: “Subject to the provisions of this article, but without prejudice to the general effect of Article 115 of this Constitution, civil or criminal proceedings shall not be instituted against a Member of Parliament in any court or place out of Parliament for any matter or thing brought by him in or before Parliament by petition, bill, motion or otherwise.”
Responding, the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, said he was yet to be notified about the said threat.
He asked Mr Osei Owusu to gather all the facts after which he would be given the chance to address the House on the issue.
Background
Mr Baah Agyemang and the Communications Director of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Mr Owusu Bempah, organised a press conference last Tuesday during which they were reported to have indicated that the activities of Fulani herdsmen at Agogo were negatively affecting the indigenes.
Reacting to the comments, the Public Relations Officer of the Ashanti Regional Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mr Mohammed Tanko, accused Mr Baah Agyemang and Mr Owusu Bempah of inciting violence in the area.
Mr Tanko said the police were not successful in their initial attempt to arrest the two politicians in their homes, and indicated that the police would continue to pursue them.
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