Kumasi Goes Wacky Over Agyapong’s Arrest

Kennedy Agyepong arriving at the Adjabeng court yesterday

RESIDENTS IN Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital have expressed disgust at the arrest and subsequent detention of Kennedy Agyepong, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North.

The NPP lawmaker was grabbed by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and subsequently thrown into National Bureau of Investigations (BNI) cells on Tuesday.

The issue which has been largely condemned by NPP members was effected in reaction to alleged comments made by the MP which the police claim amounts to treason.

Residents in the Garden City who called into various radio programmes and sent text messages on Tuesday morning expressed anger over his incarceration.

They said the manner in which the MP was bundled into an armoured car by fully armed police officers to the premises of the BNI left much to be desired.

They said what was more worrying was the report that the police were unable to grant him bail because of an order from above.

The residents were of the view that the Assin North MP should not have been treated in such an ill manner by the police and the BNI because some people in the ruling party have made worse comments and got away with it.

They wondered why the police were not quick to arrest former Ashanti Regional Minister, Kofi Poku Manu when he charged supporters of the ruling party in the region to beat members of the opposition party who dare criticize the Mills-led government.

'If a whole regional minister could tell supporters of his party to beat members of the opposition party if they criticize the government, what comments could be described as more serious than this,' one caller noted on Kessben Fm .

Another  wondered why Baba Jamal, a former Deputy Minister of the Eastern region was not dealt with callously when he declared Jihad in the round up to the Akwatia by election.

The caller explained that Jihad means holy war and therefore the police ought to have invited him for questioning and also detained him for the law to take its course because his statement had the tendency to generate violence at the time.

A caller on Fox Fm said if the police by their actions in the case of Mr. Agyepong are stipulating their preparedness to safeguard Ghana's peace and tranquility, then they ought to have arrested Anita De Sousou, the national NDC women's organizer when she ran her car over some members of the NPP during the Akwatia bye election.

Some of the callers entreated the police to arrest supporters of the ruling party who visited mayhem on defenseless NPP supporters during the Chereponi bye election if indeed they want to justify their treatment of Mr. Agyepong.

They tasked the police to also arrest the NDC supporters who subjected Ursula Owusu and Samuel Abu Jinapor to severe beatings recently at the Odododiodoo constituency if they want the public to understand their actions in the case of the embattled MP who has now officially been charged with treason.

The callers categorically accused President Mills of being behind the police brutalities against NPP while shielding members of his own government when they flout the law. 

They charged him to seize this opportunity and demonstrate to the good people of Ghana that indeed he is the father for all he claims to be by arresting members of his party who have made similar comments in the past.

The callers mentioned Asiedu Nketia, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye and others who have made more inciting comments but are walking about freely.

The aggrieved callers demanded the immediate release of the Assin North MP adding they would not allow themselves to be intimidated by the NDC.

From Morgan Owusu, Kumasi