The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has resolved that members of the party who formed the last government, will no more cooperate with the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) over what they claim were illegal invitations.
According to the party, members should turn up to invitations by the BNI, only if the reason for the invitation is made known to them, and they are also allowed their lawyers to be present during interrogations.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, the General Secretary of the party, Nana Ohene Ntow, urged party faithful to demand the authority of an arresting body, before cooperating.
Giving reasons why the NPP had resolved to take this action, he said the BNI was shifting gradually from its mandate to conduct investigations in national issues, to political persecution and vendetta
He said the BNI had refused to give some decency to the rights of the invited individuals.
Citing examples, he noted that the former Chief of Staff honoured the verbal invitation of the BNI, but was kept idle for 10 hours without any attention, and was denied legal representation.
“In spite of this treatment, in a spirit of goodwill, Mr. Mpiani, up till today, continues to cooperate with the BNI, and continues to go to the BNI to assist with whatever work he is required to assist them in doing,” he emphasised.
He continued that the former Deputy Minister of Information, Mr. Frank Agyekum, was also invited, and was refused access to his lawyer, adding that in the case of the former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Osei Adjei, his passport was seized.
The General Secretary intimated that the former Minister of Information, Mr. Stephen Asamoah Boateng, aka Asabee, was prevented from travelling outside the country, although he had not been hinted by the BNI that he would be needed in the course of their investigations, adding that the situation caused a two-hour delay of the flight he was about to board, since his luggage had to removed from the aircraft.
According to him, the sister-in-law of Asabee, Ms. Yasmin Domua, was also invited by the BNI on Tuesday, and has since been kept in the custody of the BNI without access to her lawyer, Mr. John Ndebugre.
“The question in this case is, why didn't the BNI inform Mr. Asamoah Boateng of their intentions to question him, so he could reschedule any travel plans he might have?” he questioned.
He reiterated that the embarrassment caused on Mr. Asabee has resulted to the death of his 81 year old mother.
Nana lamented that till now, none of the former officials invited was privy to the reason for which they were invited, and that in almost all the cases, the operatives refused to identify themselves properly.
He concluded by hoping that the President and the government would consider the concerns raised by the NPP.
Mr. Ndebugre, who was also present at the press conference, in turn stated that his client, Yasmin, a representative of Plexiform Ventures, contracted him somewhere in March, this year to initiate legal action against the Ministry of Information, for refusing to pay her for work executed.
He reiterated that Mr. Asamoah Boateng and his wife had turned themselves in at the BNI, after the BNI had visited their home, and the residence of his wife's sister to invite them.
Source: George Kyei Frimpong & Bismark Bebli - Ghanaian Chronicle
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