Stop Rambo-style invasion of MPs’ homes – Oquaye to police
Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye, has entreated the police and other security agencies to extend privileges enjoyed by legislators to all sides of the political divide.
He made this comment on Tuesday, 25 September 2018, as he issued a stern warning to the police against invading the homes of lawmakers and arresting them without going through the necessary processes.
In reaction to the raid of the home of Asutifi South MP Collins Dauda on Tuesday dawn, Professor Oquaye said: “The privileges of this honorable House have been clearly set out in the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana. It applies to all members upon whatever side and at all times and all circumstances”.
“We want the security agencies to be mindful, in fact, the police should not invade the premises of a member or appear to be doing so in a manner that will raise difficulties for us. Members of Parliament are not above the law but that the privileges given to us by the constitution that we have all agreed to be ruled by, should at all material times, be respected and protected,” Professor Oquaye added.
He was emphatic that: “We will want to put on record that in the future, the leadership of the House, the Speaker of the House should be informed of all such needs so that it can be done with the appropriate decency. In fact, there have been occasions during my tenure that I have provided the police access to my conference room and even on some occasions in my presence and the presence of leadership as the security agencies ask whatever they want to ask so that we will not be seen to be shielding any wrongdoing and at the same time, keeping to the honour that must be given to the institution,” he stated.
According to him, the police administration should respect MPs’ privileges and the law by following due process in their investigations involving legislators.
He said the leadership of parliament, together with Mr Dauda, will, after Tuesday’s sitting, visit the office of the Criminal Investigations Department over the dawn raid of the MP’s home.
Source: Ghana/ClassFMonline.com
