The Ghana Police Service has obtained a warrant for the arrest of the national chairman of the NDC, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.
The warrant comes on the back of the refusal of Ofosu Ampofo to report to the police headquarters to aid investigations in connection with the recent kidnappings and fire outbreaks in the country.
According to the NDC, it has come to their knowledge that the government, using the security agencies, has obtained a court warrant for the arrest of its national Chairman, Mr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.
A statement signed by NDC’s Director of Communications, Mr Kakra Essamuah, said the party has further learnt that “the security agencies intend to do this apparently in conjunction with elements of NPP vigilante forces and that they intend to arrest the Chairman in a manner aimed at lowering him in the esteem of Ghanaiansâ€.
The statement added that “whilst still respecting the already-stated stance of the Council of Elders regarding police invitations, we wish to state that the national Chairman is a law-abiding citizen who will never flout an order properly obtained from a court with authority to do soâ€.
Ofosu Ampofo declines police invitation over fire outbreaks, kidnappings
The National Chairman of the NDC, Samuel has through his lawyers declined the invitation of the Police CID over the recent fire outbreak and kidnappings.
In the letter to the Police Service, his lawyer Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine said, "it is common knowledge that our client and one other person are currently the subject of criminal proceedings in court in Criminal Case Number CR0385/2019 intituled The Republic v. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo & Anthony Kwaku Boahen. The charges against them arose of investigations your office claims to have undertaken into certain voice recordings after the violence-ridden Ayawaso West Wuogon bye-elections. You would recall that when your office claimed to have "intercepted" a tape, our client, upon honouring your invitation, was arrested and interrogated for several hours by your investigators on suspicion of having committed in the unconstitutionally obtained tape could not sustain the charge of kidnapping against our client, your office immediately dropped that charge."
"Having carefully reviewed your letter against the background of the ongoing prosecution of our client, we are unable to resist the conclusion that your invitation and so-called investigations into kidnapping, arson and other crimes is collateral to the on-going criminal trial, and that its purpose is partly to prejudice our client's defence. Further, our client's view the letter of invitation as reflective of an undeniable pattern of political harassment and intimidation which violates his fundamental human rights, particularly his constitutional rights to personal dignity and political association that is devoid of intimidation and harassment. On our part, while we appreciate that every citizen has a constitutional duty to assist law enforcement agencies in the discharge of their mandate, our considered view is that the current invitation constitutes a gross abuse of the investigative and prosecutorial powers of the police as a public institution. We take the respect view that since our client is not under arrest for the alleged offences, he is legally entitled to decline your invitation, we have therefore advised him accordingly," the letter added.
PLEASE SEE FULL STATEMENT BELOW:
IMMINENT ARREST OF THE NATIONAL CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS, HON. SAMUEL OFOSU-AMPOFO
The National Democratic Congress has learnt that the government, using the security agencies, has obtained a court warrant in the past few days for the arrest of our national Chairman, Hon. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo. We have further learnt that the security agencies intend to do this apparently in conjunction with elements of NPP vigilante forces and that they intend to arrest the Chairman in a manner aimed at lowering him in the esteem of Ghanaians.
The NDC takes a very serious view of the government’s intention, if our information is correct, and wish to bring to the attention of the country that, as the Chairman of the largest opposition party in Ghana, our national Chairman is entitled to be treated with the utmost respect and dignity.
Whilst still respecting the already-stated stance of the Council of Elders regarding police invitations, we wish to state that the national Chairman is a law-abiding citizen who will never flout an order properly obtained from a court with authority to do so.
This statement is also issued to notify the teeming supporters of the National Democratic Congress to expect the imminent arrest of the national Chairman for the purpose of advancing the narrow political interests of President Akufo-Addo to silence all legitimate political opposition. At all times, the national Chairman of our party can count on the solidarity of the entire membership of the party and we stand solidly behind Hon. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo.
Issued on Sunday, June 9, 2019.
Signed
KAKRA ESSAMUAH
Director of Communications
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