The National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Sammy Gyamfi has filed a criminal complaint against the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong.
Sammy Gyamfi’s action followed alleged threats issued by Mr Agyapong during an interview on an Accra-based radio station Asempa FM.
In a petition signed by AB&M Legal Consult, Mr Gyamfi alleged that Mr Agyapong has threatened to cause him harm or death through thugs under his control and direction.
“While speaking in the Twi language on the said programme, Mr Kennedy Agyapong stated among other things that, if our client does proceed with his advocacy on national issues in a particular manner, he shall in a matter of three seconds organise his thugs to beat and or finish our client mercilessly,” part of the complaint stated.
Citing the death of Ahmed Suale, Sammy Gyamfi said he was disturbed by the threats, hence the decision to formally report the issue to the police.
“Having regard to recent history and the notorious fact that a prominent investigative journalist by name Ahmed Suale was shot and murdered in cold blood by some unknown criminals following similar threats made on his life by the same Mr Kennedy Agyapong; our client, as a law-abiding citizen feels compelled to formally write to you and lodge a complaint against the said Mr Kennedy Agyapong.
“This will avert a possible repeat of what happened to the late Ahmed Suale when his life was threatened by Mr Kennedy Agyapong on that very ‘Ekosisen’ platform and other media platforms.”
The NDC’s communicator is, therefore, requesting for investigations to commence into the conduct of Mr Kennedy Agyapong in accordance with the Criminal Offenses Act of Ghana, 1960 (Act 29.)
Meanwhile, Beatrice Annang, lawyer for Mr Gyamfi has stated that her team was taking all the necessary precautionary measures to ensure the safety of her client.
According to Ms Annang, her client’s investigations and evidence revealed that the MP had indeed taken steps to follow through with his threats.
“Ordinarily this would have been considered as one of the discussions that accompany political discourses in the country.”
“But, having regards for his history and the notorious fact that Ahmed Suale faced the same threat on the same show, it demonstrates that Mr Agyapong has the capacity to not only threaten but to carry out the threats,” she said in an interview on Thursday.
Lawyer Annang said that although they cannot assume the legislator followed through with his threats on the journalist, it was important they protect their client from such happenings.
“If he has done that before and it has resulted in an act, then, in our belief this cannot be mere threat of a mere political gimmick.
“Also the threat of harm and threat of death are offences under our Criminal Offensive Act. I should say that preparing is also a crime.”
This, she explained, is why they have filed a criminal complaint against the MP at the Criminal Investigative Department headquarters.
She stated that the police has scheduled a meeting with them on August 17 for further information after their investigations.
myjoyonline.com
