MP for Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed
Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed has commended the Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon. Alban Bagbin for referring Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong to Parliament’s Privileges Committee.
Agyapong was referred to appear before the Privileges Committee over threats on the life of journalist Erastus Asare Donkor.
The vociferous MP on Friday, July 9, 2021 is reported to have verbally abused and threatened to attack Asare Donkor and incited the public against the Luv FM journalist.
He said on his TV station-Net 2- that the “shoddy work” of Kumasi-based journalist sparked the recent shootings and killing incidents at Ejura in the Ashanti Region.
He said “if I were President, I would have ensured that Erastus Asare Donkor is beaten mercilessly.”
The incident led to the media house petitioning the Deputy Regional Police Commander, Ashanti Region, and demanded security protection for Erastus Asare Donkor.
Citing events that led to the murder of an investigative journalist, Ahmed Hussein-Suale, Management of The Multimedia Group described the threats of the MP as, “life-threatening.”
The complaint was copied to 14 officials, including the Chief of Staff, Ministers of Interior and National Security, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Ashanti Regional Minister, the Inspector General of Police, the Director of Criminal Investigation Department.
Others include; the Country Director of Media Foundation for West Africa, the Human Rights Watch, International Federation of Journalists.
Reacting on the matter on Inside Politics on Power FM, Murtala Mohammed described the statement from his colleague as “reckless” and confirmed that “the speaker ruled [on the motion] and indeed referred the matter to the privileges committee of Parliament.”
“For me, that is legendary…It is just that we are not serious as a people. In a serious democracy, this man should not be a free man walking. I am not saying that he killed Ahmed Suale; that’s not what I’m saying but at least he brought the guy’s picture and asked people to hurt him when they see him, and few weeks the guy was barbarously murdered,” he told the host, Mugabe Maase.
This is the second time the Assin Central MP is being hauled to the Privileges Committee.
In the 7th Parliament, Agyapong was dragged before the committee for making derogatory comments on Parliament.