By Our Monitoring Desk
After declining a Criminal Investigations Department (CID) invitation to assist with investigations into the recent spate of kidnaping and arson in the country, the police yesterday afternoon, 3:15pm, arrested National Democratic Congress (NDC) Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.
He was however released in the evening when the party supporters started massing up at the police headquarters in Accra to demand their chairman’s released, and asked to report on a set date, Police sources told this paper. https://www.myjoyonline.com/politics/2019/May-8th/cid-fingers-ofosu-ampofo-in-recent-kidnappings-fire-outbreaks.php
NDC General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia in a statement whilst his chairman was in the grip of the police, assured supporters that the full complement of the Party’s legal team was in touch with the Police and was closely monitoring the situation, calling on its followers to remain calm.
The statement read, “The rank and file of our party as well as the generally public is informed that our national Chairman, Hon. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, on Tuesday afternoon tendered himself in to Police following an arrest warrant produced by the police.
Consequently, the Police have proceeded to search the home of Mr. Ofosu- Ampofo.
The full complement of the Party’s legal team is in touch with the Police and is closely monitoring the situation. A team of senior party officials is also currently on standby at the Police Headquarters to attend to the situation.
NDC members, supporters and the generally public are urged to remain calm and await information on any course of action the Party deems fit in the circumstances”.
NDC dares police
On Monday, a court, presided over Justice Afia Serwa Botwe issued an arrest
warrant for Mr. Ampofo’s arrest but members of his party vowed to support their
Chairman and will resist any attempts to arrest him.
During the party’s 27th anniversary celebrations, Greater Accra Chairman of the
party, Joseph Ade Coker dared the police to go ahead with what he says is an
attempt to intimidate Mr Ofosu Ampofo.
He said: “We all know what is happening in this country and we are waiting for
anybody who thinks that he will come and do something that is untoward…he will
see the might of NDC.
“I am positive that in the days coming
all of us will marshal ourselves and make sure that we show the might of NDC. I
think for a long time we’ve become very dormant so it’s about time we bare our
teeth,” he said.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo is already standing trial for conspiracy to assault a public
officer and conspiracy to cause harm after he was secretly recorded allegedly
outlining plans to cause mayhem.
Heightened insecurity
Following his arrest, NDC MP, James Agalga in an interview on The Pulse on Joy
News said the arrest is an irresponsible move and an attempt to intimidate and
harass the NDC.
“We will not allow ourselves to be
intimidated or harassed,” he told Gifty Andoh Appiah.
He believes the Chairman’s rights are being trampled upon and questioned why
the police will not allow the case in court to end before inviting him to
assist in investigations for a kidnapping case they had already dropped.
In Mr Agalaga’s view, government is trying to blame the state of insecurity in
the country on the innocent Chairman.
“We will not countenance that, the
National Chairman has rights and he is in court…if they feel they have
uncovered fresh evidence, let them amend their charge sheet.
“But they cannot continue to use the state apparatus the way they are trying to
use it….to harass and intimidate our Chairman,” he added.
According to Mr Agalaga, the Chairman’s arrest will only heighten the state of
insecurity in the country.
