The Minority in Parliament has threatened to drag Mohammed Sulemana, the man who slapped Ningo-Prampram MP, Sam George, during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election before the Privileges Committee.
The Minority Spokesperson on Defence and Interior, James Agalga in a Citi News interview said the conduct of Sulemana, a SWAT officer is an affront to the dignity of Parliament and warrants some sanction.
Speaking to Citi News, the Builsa North MP said the accused person will be made to face the committee when Parliament reconvenes.
“When Parliament reconvenes, we are going to drag the said Sulemana before the Privileges Committee for contempt. If you look at chapter 10 of our constitution, any act or commission by any persons which constitutes an affront to the dignity of Parliament can be punished for contempt,” James Agalga said.
The Emile Short commission which was constituted by the government to look into circumstances surrounding the violence witnessed during the by-election in its report recommended that Mohammed Sulemana be prosecuted.
But the government rejected the government recommendation saying that he did not need to be prosecuted.
The government in a White Paper on the report argued that the facts presented by the commission supported “a valid defence of provocation for the said assault [by Mohammed Sulemana].”
Some persons including the Members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have criticized the government’s position on the matter, arguing that it smacks of justification of an offence.
The NDC as a party is yet to formally make its position on the White Paper known but the minority believes that dragging Mohammed Sulemana before the privileges committee will be a way of upholding the sanctity of parliament.