Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Mr. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, has been hauled to the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges for instigating the public over the murder of an Investigative journalist of Tiger Eye PI, Mr. Ahmed Hussein-Suale.
The Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Asawase, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, raised the motion on the floor of the House and stated that the conduct of the Assin Central MP has denigrated the image and dignity of Parliament.
He added that his comments on the various media houses are in breach of Article 123 of the 1992 Constitution, Parliamentary Standing Orders and the Code of Conduct for MPs.
He explained that his recent conduct before and after the death of Mr. Hussein-Suale is contemptuous and must be treated with urgency.
He, therefore, called on the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye to refer the matter to the Privileges Committee.
Quoting Order 28 of the Standing Orders of Parliament, Mr. Muntaka pointed out that the conduct of the Assin Central MP affronts the dignity of Parliament, and that Mr. Agyapong should be held liable for his utterances in instigating the public against Mr. Hussein-Suale.
“We are held in a very high esteem and we need to carry and conduct ourselves in a very high standard. We need to operate in a very high standard as Members of Parliament”, he concluded.
Majority Leader’s reaction
The Majority and Member of Parliament for Suame, Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, averred that the matter should be referred to the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges for determination.
He added that the House as a body has not heard the comments of Mr. Agyapong in instigating the public to attack Mr. Hussein-Suale.
He further explained that tape recordings of the comments of Mr. Agyapong cannot be played on the floor to determine the contemptuous nature of his utterances.
The matter was therefore referred to the Privileges Committee as directed by the Speaker of Parliament for subsequent consideration and report.
The 1992 Constitution on Contempt of Parliament
The 1992 Constitution makes a provision for contemptuous statement relating to Parliament.
Article 122 of the 1992 Constitution stipulates that “an act or omission which obstructs or impedes a member or an officer of Parliament in the discharge of his duties, or affronts the dignity of Parliament or which tends either directly or indirectly to produce that results, is contempt of Parliament”.
Article 123 of the same Constitution again states that “where an act or omission which constitutes contempt of Parliament is an offence under the criminal law, the exercise by Parliament of the power to punish for contempt shall not be a bar to the institution of proceedings under the criminal law”.
Source: GhanaJustice/S.Ayisi
