Asabee is stopped from flying...

Steven Asamoah Boateng (aka Asabee)

... Was he running away from justice? The former information minister says he was going on a vacation with his wife and kids. It's a pretty striking coincidence that Steven Asamoah Boateng (aka Asabee) decided to make the trip just a few days after his former deputy, Frank Agyekum, had gone to the Bureau of National Investigations to “sing” about a contract for the renovation of the information ministry.

That contract stinks on different levels – not least because it was awarded to Mr. Asamoah-Boateng's sister-in-law. Mr. Agyekum, who signed for the contract to be awarded, insists that his conscience is clear and sources say he reportedly told the BNI that he was just ordered to append his signature. That leaves his former boss with a few questions to answer.

The issue, once again, brings the operations of the BNI under the spotlight.

In my mind stopping Asabee from getting on that British Airways flight was the right thing to do. It will be very difficult for him to convince anyone (but his friends and sympathisers) that he was getting on that plane with an intention to return to this country anytime soon.

But, once again, couldn't the BNI agents have done this in a more sensible manner. That scene they created at the airport was unnecessary. To begin with, agents refused to identify themselves. Then they refused to spell out whether he was being arrested – only asking the former minister to “come to the office”, ostensibly offering him an invitation to come to the BNI.

Now, they have given Asabee every opportunity to “run his mouth”. I am delighted that he's called the BNI's bluff and refused to go to their office on a mere verbal invitation. He wants them to put it in writing. But I think he should go a step further and dare the BNI to arrest him for question. This BNI “invitation” nonsense must stop!

Granted that Asabee and his ilk have a lot of questions to answer; but if the state gives them opportunity to go about shouting “this is Gestapo” – meaning there is some sort of deliberate ploy to intimidate and harass them – the cause of justice is not served as well as it should.

The former government officials are looking for every opportunity they can get to accuse the government of “witch-hunting” – of which I see none, by the way. By sticking to their age-old crude, illegal, and often, inhumane methods the government (through the BNI) is only playing into their hands. Someone has to call the BNI to order – and soon! No one is saying they should not probe whatever needs to be investigated. But they should do it right.

Credit: Ato Kwamena Dadzie (atokd.com)