Sosu is out of the country on parliamentary duties – Speaker explains MP’s absence in court

The Kaneshie District Court was compelled to adjourn the case in which Madina MP, Francis-Xavier Sosu, has been invited for holding a demonstration in his constituency.

The adjournment comes after state prosecutor ASP Sylvestre Asare notified the court of a letter from the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, indicating that the Madina legislator “was out of the country on parliamentary duties”, and thus cannot appear before the court.

The first-time parliamentarian was expected to show up in court to answer charges levelled against him by the Ghana Police Service.

He has been accused of unlawfully blocking a road and destroying public property during the protest.

On October 25, the MP is said to have led some of his constituents to demonstrate against poor roads in the constituency.

Since the protest, there has been back and forth between the MP, parliament and the police.

The police invited the MP to assist with further investigations regarding the demonstration but all attempts to get the MP before the investigation team has proved futile.

The Speaker of Parliament, in response to the police invitation, said he was unable to release the MP to assist with investigations.

A criminal summons was then obtained after several failed attempts to arrest him for his alleged breach of the law.

The case has been adjourned to 16 November 2021.