Xavier-Sosu: Police deny reports of attempted arrest of MP at church
“The MP, Hon. Francis Xavier-Sosu was invited on the day of the protest to assist the Police for his alleged involvement in the unlawful blockade of a road and the destruction of public property but he declined the invitation. He declined further invitations citing Parliamentary privilege”.
The Ghana Police Service has denied media reports that its personnel attempted to arrest the Member of Parliament (MP) of the Madina Constituency, Francis Xavier-Sosu at a church today (October 31, 2021).
Describing the stories as “untrue” the Police in a statement said it had commenced investigations into certain alleged criminal acts that occurred last Monday (October 25, 2021) following a protest over the poor state of roads in the constituency.
The statement said Mr Xavier-Sosu who led the demonstration was invited on the day of the protest to assist the Police for his alleged involvement in the blockade of a road and destruction of public property but denied the invitation citing Parliamentary privilege.
“Following a protest in the Madina Constituency, led by its Member of Parliament (MP), Hon. Francis Xavier-Sosu, on Monday, October 25, 2021, the Police commenced investigations into certain alleged criminal acts that occurred,” the statement signed by Director-General, Public Affairs of Police, ACP Kwesi Ofori said.
“The MP, Hon. Francis Xavier-Sosu was invited on the day of the protest to assist the Police for his alleged involvement in the unlawful blockade of a road and the destruction of public property but he declined the invitation. He declined further invitations citing Parliamentary privilege”.
The statement also disclosed that three other persons have been interrogated in connection with the protest, adding that “we (the Police) shall continue to use every legal means to interrogate all other suspects including the Honourable MP for Madina”.
Church arrest?
The reports suggested that the MP managed to escape arrest at the Believers House of Prayer Ministries in Madina despite the church being surrounded by security personnel.
The Madina Constituency Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Abdul Razak Husseine, told Citi FM that the MP was whisked away to an undisclosed location by the Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak.
However, the Police maintained that “Any plain-clothed Police personnel found on the premises of the church may have been there for intelligence purposes and not to effect an arrest”.
“The Police Administration will continue to conduct investigations into this matter and we urge the public to continue to support us as we maintain law and order,” the statement said.
