Senior Vice President for IMANI-Africa, Kofi Bentil says the police have the right to arrest Madina MP Francis Xavier Sosu.
Kofi Bentil explained that “To the extent that the Police feel the need to invite any member of the society to question them about the probable cause that a crime has been committed or something wrong has been done, that person ought to respond to the Police positively, and that person ought to submit to the Police processes. If the police do anything untoward we will all come and defend that person
“In this particular matter, we think that at this point the Police have a right to effect arrest and to effect an investigation. If they think that they have to proceed they will go ahead and proceed, if anybody has a problem we will all back that person to court to the court and vindicate themselves,” he said this in an interaction with journalists in Accra.
Kofi Bentil who is also a private legal practitioner said the constitution grants only the President immunity although Article 117 grants narrow immunity for some specific parliamentary functions.
He noted that the narrow immunity the constitution grants to parliamentarians should not be blown out of proportion because nobody is above the law.
"Sometimes, it feels as if that narrow immunity is been elevated to a blanket immunity for anything that a parliamentarian does. It is just not right for any person to assume any kind of immunity that effectively poses them above the law."
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He added that policing will be better if the general populace believes anybody can be arrested regardless of the status, position if only they flout the laws that govern the state.
Francis-Xavier Sosu led a demonstration to protest bad roads in his constituency, which the police contend came along with some unlawful acts and misconduct by the protestors.
Francis Sosu denied an invitation by the police on grounds that he could not be brought in for questioning while performing his parliamentary duties without approval from Parliament.
He stressed that though protestors had blocked roads, there was no basis for any arrest because due process was followed before and during the demonstration.