Majority Chief Whip, Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Dafeamekpor, has given further and particulars of the detainment of the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Asante Akyem-North constituency, Ohene Kwame Frimpong, saying he is doing very well.
The South Dayi MP, confirmed that, his colleague’s arrest occurred on Sunday, May 10, at the Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, in the Netherlands.
He further disclosed that OK Frimpong, a first time MP, was traveling on a private trip from Accra on KLM flight on transit through Schiphol to London in the United Kingdom (UK). The MP confirmed additional information that he travelled with his Diplomatic Passport, despite traveling for private reason.
Speaking on Channel One’s Point of View with host Bernard Avle, on Monday May 13, Dafeamekpor said coordination between Parliament officials and government has been superb indicating they are doing within the law to ensure he regains his freedom.
A Ghanaian lawyer who practices his profession in The Hague has been hired for the troubled parliamentarian and they are hopeful urging calm especially in the media to tone down on speculations.
They have also informed the Speaker Alban Sumana Bagbin, Ghana’s Ambassador to The Hague, the Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzato Ablakwa and the Attorney General (AG) and Minister for Justice Dr Dominic Ayine and the Clerk.
“It came as a big headache. Sunday, I believe by Sunday 5 a.m. thereabouts, when he called me, so I was the first person he called and told me about the issue. So quickly, I had to also refer the issue to my principals. So eventually, I got my leader who was himself on transit at Heathrow in London, so he had to fly to Schiphol to go and engage him for about two or three hours to understand the issues.
Since then, we have brought in the foreign minister, we brought in our ambassador to Hague, we brought in the attorney general because he has to deal with some legal issues in terms of the status of the room because he’s traveling on a diplomatic passport.
Speaker himself has been brought in, so we’ve coordinated this matter very well. We have a lawyer for him now.
The lawyer is a Ghanaian based in The Hague, but he’s qualified in Hague, so he practices there, and so he’s dealing with the issues”, he narrated on the programme.
Speaking confidently to the issues, the Chief Whip said he suspects when the incident happened, he was the first person the MP, who caucus with the Majority side in Parliament because he is an Independent MP, called to inform him about his predicament abroad.
According to him, he immediately reached out to the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga who was also on a trip from the UK.
He said the Bawku Central lawmaker quickly dashed to the Netherlands to engage his junior colleagues for about three hours to understand the issues better.
Dafeamekpor said engagements with both the embattled MP and his lawyers have been coordinal.
He urged calm especially in the media cautioning that the details of the case are yet to unfold so he asked that, issues surrounding the arrest are handled with tact. He warned against speculations and throwing hearsays and claims that are not verified.
“But we want to urge all the media houses not to be throwing in things that haven’t been confirmed because even the warrant for his arrest, we are yet to have the authenticated copy. The prosecutor that has been appointed in Amsterdam dealing with the matter with the lawyer is yet to give those necessary documents to the lawyer and for our consideration. So let’s stay calm and don’t let us jeopardize the issues.
We are doing everything possible to see how best the matter can be resolved. So it means we’re also trying to get more information about the full reason for the arrest. Yes, yes, because we need to have the basis. Exactly.”
The South Dayi MP said Parliament has provided information from their side for the ongoing investigations.
“But in the meantime, more preliminary requests that they’ve made, asking for documentations, we have provided all that from the parliamentary angle. But let me say this, as for extradition, it has even happened to sitting presidents of countries. Every lawyer of some repute knows there’s an international law in conflict of law causes”, he added.
The MP, who is also a lawyer, asked commentaries around the issue to be civil and constructive because what has befallen their colleague is nothing new. He explained that this is something that has been suffered by more powerful leaders including presidents.
“You must have heard of the Pinochet cases. A sitting president came to London and he was arrested that he should be extradited to the US. You must have heard of the Julian Assange cases.
So these things happen. In our case, in this matter, we are praying that the grounds are set that we can deal with the issues so that he can return home. So we want the family, our colleagues in parliament, everybody to remain calm whilst we deal with the matter”, he advised.
By Gifty Boateng