In Ghana, MP Sosu challenges grounds for attempted arrest of colleague — MyJoyOnline

In Ghana, Francis-Xavier Sosu, the Member of Parliament for Madina, questioned the grounds on which the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) attempted to arrest the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah. MyJoyOnline reports.

The MP's position

Sosu stated that ignoring an invitation from an investigative body cannot in itself be grounds for arrest. According to him, law enforcement officers must act in accordance with procedures established by law if they believe they have sufficient evidence to arrest a person.

Speaking on the Dwaso Nsem programme on Adom FM, the MP rejected EOCO's argument that Awuah had been receiving invitations from the agency since February but had not appeared in response to them. Sosu stressed that, in his view, citizens are not obliged to assist investigative bodies merely because they received an invitation to provide information.

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Call for due process

Sosu, who is a lawyer, noted that the procedure for investigations and arrests is determined by Ghana's substantive and criminal procedure laws. He stressed that if an investigative body has a complaint and evidence that justify an arrest, it must act within the law rather than treat an unfulfilled invitation as a separate ground for arrest.

The MP also stated that law enforcement agencies should not violate procedures even if they suspect a person of breaking the law. In his view, adherence to due legal process will help avoid unnecessary conflicts between law enforcement officers and citizens.