Is our immunity unfettered?' - NPP MP slams Sosu

Afigya Kwabre North Member of Parliament (MP), Collins Adomako-Mensah, has questioned the freedom of MPs from Police arrests or to honour Police invite when cited for civil/criminal charges.

Discussing his colleague MP for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu's refusal to appear for Police interrogation following his involvement in a violent protest at Madina on Monday, October 25, 2021, Hon. Collins Adomako-Mensah shared dissenting views on the issue.

The MP has refused to avail himself to assist the Police in their investigations and as a result, the Police has made a request through the Speaker for Hon. Francis-Xavier Sosu to release him, but the Speaker has also turned down the request.

A letter signed by the Deputy Director of Legal Services of Parliament on behalf of the Speaker read; “I am directed by the Rt. Hon. Speaker to inform you that proceedings of the 3rd Meeting of the 1st Session of the 8th Parliament commenced on Tuesday 26th October 2021, and having regard to the limitations of articles 117 and 118 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic, he is unable to release the Member of Parliament as requested in your letter.”

“The Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament further directs that I refer you to the provisions of article 122 of the 1992 Constitution and to inform you that on Wednesday the 27th October 2021 he referred to the Privileges Committee of Parliament, allegations of breach of parliamentary privilege and contempt by ACP Isaac Kojo Asante and ACP Eric Winful of the Accra Regional Police Command and the Adenta Divisional Command respectively.”

But the Afigya Kwabre North MP disagrees with the immunity clause in favour of MPs.

Contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', he asked; ''Is our immunity unfettered?''

He believed Articles 117 and 118 which form the basis for the Speaker's refusal to release the Madina MP and MP's behaviour must be subjected to legal interpretations.

"Do you arrest me because the law says whilst on my way to Parliament, I cannot be arrested?... Even if we feel we can't get understanding on the interpretation of it, then let's go to the Supreme Court, and that is why the Supreme Court is there to explain it for us to know our boundaries as Members of Parliament; at what point does our immunity trickle in," he said.