Considering the varying conversations over police arrest of politically exposed persons and setting bail conditions which usually makes impedes the ability to grant the person’s freedom, the Manhyia South MP, Mr. Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah is calling for a revision of the bail approaches to avoid impeding accused persons’ freedom.
According to him, bail conditions must not be an object for pushing political opponents.
The legislator underscored the need for EOCO officials to adopt a dignified approach in arresting accused persons adding,
“Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako should not have been arrested in such a “rambo-style”, an approach he described as unacceptable and outmoded therefore requiring an immediate revision.
The MP made the call when the Minority in Parliament staged a wall out from the proceedings of the House in protest for Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako’s release from EOCO detention.
He maintained that the approach was a clear abuse of human right even to the extent that outrageous bail sum being imposed for his release describing it as unacceptable.
“Making a bail sum which make it very impossible to fulfil so that he will be kept longer than the mandated 48 hours under the constitution, that’s the only reason they are doing this, and I don’t think it’s appropriate”.
He further explained, “Once you’re given bail unless it’s recognisance but once it is with surety, it will be easy to fulfil.
“It is for you to get surety, third parties to stand in for you. My understanding we have is even when persons have volunteered to help him meet the bail terms,they said they are not satisfied”, he disclosed.
The Manhyia lawmaker thinks the move by EOCO was a ploy to keep him beyond the mandated 48 hours, describing it as wrong.
The Member was reacting to the detention of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako popularly known as Chairman Wontimi by the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for interrogation which the NPP Member of Parliament believes was done capricious.
The MPs were demanding the release of their Ashanti Regional Chairman forcing their unplanned exiting from performing their duties the various constituents.
Story By: Prosper Kwaku Selassy Agbitor
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