The Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumbugu says he is not satisfied with the answers Interior Ministers gave regarding the attack on a police officer at the Flagstaff House in January.
Ras Mubarak said he was shocked at Ambrose Dery’s inability to inform parliament on how the attackers gained access to the seat of government.
“You would expect that before someone is admitted access to the presidency, they would have gone through some security screening. Clearly, the Minister was unable to tell us who gave them clearance,” he told Dzifa Bampoh on Joy FM’s Newsnite programme, Thursday.
The Accra Circuit Court has issued a warrant for the arrest of two persons, including an ex-police officer who assaulted a senior police officer at the Flagstaff House in January.
An ex-officer, Mumuni Jabel and one Abu, who are said to be members of pro-NPP vigilante group, Invincible Forces, were caught on tape assaulting ASP Bruce Nanka at the Presidency in a video that went viral on social media.
The CCTV footage at the seat of government on January 9, 2017 – President Akufo-Addo’s first day in office – showed members of the group chasing ASP Bruce as he drove out of the Flagstaff House.
They succeeded in accosting ASP Nanka and attempted to seize his vehicle, but the intervention of other security personnel saved the situation.
Speaking to the issue in Parliament Thursday, the Interior Minister who said the act was regrettable assured parliament the assailants would be brought to book.
Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery
“The matter is currently under investigation by the police CID and efforts are being made to arrest the suspects. An Accra Circuit Court has issued a warrant for the arrest of Mumuni Jabel – the ex-police officer – and his counterpart,” Mr Dery said.
Responding to a question on how the two suspects gained access to the Flagstaff House, the former Deputy Attorney General said he does not have personal knowledge on that.
He said the act they committed is of grave concern and one that would be investigated for the appropriate punishment to be meted to the culprits.
But the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP said while the nation is trying to bolster confidence in the security forces, it is so wrong for “some macho men to walk into the Presidency and accost a man in uniform.”
“That is completely unacceptable,” he said adding uniformed men should work with the knowledge that they have the confidence of every Ghanaians.
“Secondly, there is a bond of friendship among men and women in uniform, so you would expect that these hoodlums would be arrested and dealt with at the presidency,” he said bemoaning the nonchalant attitude of the security persons around when the office was attacked.
“There might have been some action but more has to be done because the Minister left a lot of questions unanswered. It was also unsatisfactory that the Minister gave only one name of the suspects name as Abu.
“If you want the general public to assist you in arresting a suspect, you don’t put out one name as there are 1000s of Abu so he should provide the full name of the gentleman,” he said.
