Speaker cannot waive immunity of MPs – Andy Kankam

Editor of the Informer Newspaper, Andy Kankam, says the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, cannot compel Member of Parliament (MP) for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu to submit himself before the Police for investigations on the constituency’s demonstration on bad roads.

Labeling people blaming the Speaker for refusing to release the Madina MP as clueless, he stated, “People blaming the Speaker must know that he cannot waive the immunity of MPs. If the MP decides to go before the Police, he can but the Speaker of Parliament cannot force him to.”

The Majority Caucus in Parliament says the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, appears to be instituting new rules that seem to undermine the rule of law without any prior discussions with the leadership of the house.

Police have tried without success on two occasions to arrest the Member of Parliament for the Madina constituency, Francis-Xavier Sosu, and have gone ahead to secure criminal summons against him in court, while Parliament has sent out strong signals that it will not countenance any threat from the police.

A statement released by the Majority caucus on the development said the refusal of the Speaker to release the legislator to assist with investigations into alleged offenses is of extreme concern.

“The Majority Leadership views the foregoing response by Speaker Bagbin as a troubling departure from how his predecessors handled such requests.”

The editor calls the tussle between the Police and the MP, by extension Parliament needless insisting all law-abiding citizens submit themselves to the law at all times. “The Police statement says they just want the MP to answer a few questions about the demonstration. Information reaching me indicate some protestors were even picked for questioning but were released on the same day.”

In the Editors’ discussion of the Happy Morning Show with Samuel Eshun, he blamed this tussle between the Police and Parliament on Francis Xavier-Sosu (MP) and urged both parties to set their differences aside and resolve the matter.

“No one is above the law in this country and I think the two parties must dialogue to resolve the issue. MPs must also understand that their immunity is not absolute. Sometimes it is harmless to receive a Police invitation and if Francis Xavier-Sosu had gone to them, I don’t think we would’ve faced this problem.”

The Kaneshie District Court has adjourned to November 16 the case involving the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Madina, Mr Francis-Xavier Sosu.

This was after the police had received a letter from the Speaker of Parliament indicating that Mr Sosu is out of the country on Parliamentary duties.

The MP, has been charged for unlawfully blocking a public road and the destruction of public property after he joined his constituents to embark on a protest over poor roads in the area on October 25, 2021 year.

He was absent in court Monday morning following a court summons.