Speaker Alban Bagbin Clarifies Ghana Police Do Not Need Permission To Arrest MPs

There is a popular misconception in Ghana that Members of Parliament wear an invisible shield of absolute immunity. However Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin recently set the record straight.

Addressing lawmakers during the Second Meeting of the Second Session of Parliament on Thursday May 21 he clarified a major legal technicality. Security agencies do not need his explicit permission to arrest or invite an MP for questioning. They just need to keep his office informed.

Notification Over Permission

Many people assume the Speaker acts as a protective gatekeeper for lawmakers facing criminal investigations. Bagbin logically explained that his office only requires formal notification regarding the circumstances and allegations surrounding the individual. The law does not mandate security agents to beg for approval before doing their constitutional jobs. Instead the timely notification allows the Speaker to determine if parliamentary privilege actually applies to the specific situation. It is a system of professional respect rather than a system of permission.

Three Factual Insights On Parliamentary Immunity

To understand this legal boundary better we must look at the established facts governing the legislative branch in Ghana.

• Article 117 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana grants Members of Parliament immunity from arrest specifically while they are on their way to attending or returning from active parliamentary proceedings.
• Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin serves as the current Speaker of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic and possesses decades of experience navigating these complex legal frameworks.
• The Ghana Police Service retains the ultimate mandate to investigate crimes and apprehend suspects regardless of their political status when those individuals are outside of their active legislative duties.

This strict clarification arrives at the perfect time as public debates over political accountability continue to dominate social media. Knowing that security agencies can act independently helps build serious public trust in the national justice system. Lawmakers write the laws but they must also follow them just like everyday citizens.

Also Read: Speaker Bagbin Assures Parliament Will Fully Support Investigation into Tema Microlight Crash

Source – ghananewspage.com