The African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) has advised Parliament to refrain from prematurely declaring the Asante Akyem North parliamentary seat vacant due to the detention of the constituency’s Member of Parliament, Kwame Ohene Frimpong, in the Netherlands.
Mr Frimpong was apprehended at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam on May 8, 2026, on charges related to money laundering and romance scams, and he remains in custody as legal proceedings are ongoing.
Speaking in an interview, the Executive Director of ACEPA, Dr. Rasheed Draman, emphasised that Parliament should allow the judicial process to unfold before making any determinations about the status of the seat.
He stated that the principles of natural justice dictate that the MP should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
“According to the rules of natural justice, an individual has been accused, but he has not yet had his day in court, nor has he been convicted. Once he is convicted, he will be entirely disqualified from even approaching Parliament. However, we have not reached that point yet,” he noted on Citi News in an interview monitored by The Ghana Report.
Dr. Draman further indicated that any decision regarding the potential vacancy of the seat should only be made after the trial concludes.
“I believe he will have his day in court very soon, and perhaps we can make statements following that. There exists a gap in the legal frameworks that govern representation issues. There is considerable ambiguity regarding the duration someone should be absent from Parliament,” he added.
On May 12, Parliament confirmed that it had been officially notified of the Independent MP’s detention at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam.
In the meantime, Minister for Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has confirmed that the government is extending consular support to Mr. Frimpong.
During a press conference on Monday, July 27, Mr. Ablakwa stated that Ghana’s mission in The Hague has been in communication with Dutch authorities, the MP’s family, and his legal team to ensure that his rights are safeguarded throughout the legal proceedings.
