Mr James Agalga.
THE Minority in Parliament has called for the arrest of Assin Central Member of Parliament, Kennedy Agyapong, over the murder of Ahmed Hussein-Suale, a murdered undercover journalist with private investigation firm, Tiger Eye P.I.
In the view of the Minority lawmakers, the decision by Mr Agyapong to splash the pictures of the slain investigative journalist on national television and call for violence against him contributed to the death of the 31-year-old.
“We call on the law enforcement agencies to promptly cause Mr Agyapong’s arrest and prosecute him for his actions,” Minority Spokesperson on the Interior and Defence, James Agalga said at a press conference in Accra yesterday.
Per their interpretation of Section 20(1) of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), Mr Agyapong put the life of the journalist who was killed in Accra on Wednesday in harm’s way.
“A person who, directly or indirectly, instigates, commands, counsels, procures, solicits, 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” Section 20(1) of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) says.
Per the above quote from Act 29, the Minority said “Mr Agyapong appears to bear some criminal responsibility for the death of Ahmed, and he also bears criminal responsibility for instigating the public to beat up Ahmed and cause harm to Mr Anas for monetary reward.
“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.”
Mr Agyapong waged a campaign against Tiger Eye P.I and its leader, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, in an attempt to stop the private investigative firm from airing their last work, Number 12.
Following the release of the documentary which exposed corruption in Ghana football and led to the dissolution of the Ghana Football Association, Mr Agyapong called for violence against the late Ahmed and his other colleagues for monetary reward.
Taking all these pronouncements of Mr Agyapong into consideration, the Minority said Mr Agyapong should have been hauled before the security services for questioning and action but “till date, he has not been invited by the Police for questioning.”
It noted that “shockingly, Mr Agyapong was allowed to fly out of the country, without being apprehended, on that very day on an Emirates flight headed to Dubai and possible onward journey.”
“The conduct of Mr Agyapong could not have escaped the notice of law enforcement agencies and the government of President Akufo-Addo. We find this situation deeply worrying and uncharacteristic of a democratic and civilised country.
“Mr Agyapong’s conduct and the obvious lack of action by the law enforcement agencies lead to only one conclusion – that Mr Agyapong is above the laws of Ghana and he enjoys impunity free from prosecution.”
Describing the death of Ahmed Hussein-Suale as an attack on Press Freedom, Mr Agalga called on the the Akufo-Addo government to roundly condemn the conduct of Mr Agyapong and bring him to book.
“Nevertheless, we call on the law enforcement agencies to promptly cause Mr Agyapong’s arrest and prosecute him for his actions. We also call on Nana Akufo-Addo’s government to roundly condemn the conduct of Mr Agyapong,” James Agalga, a former Deputy Minister of the Interior said.
Their call notwithstanding, James Agalga served notice that “when the House resumes from recess, the Minority 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.”
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
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