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Lawyer: Abodakpi must vacate his seat
Accra, April 10, GNA – An Accra-based lawyer, Mr K.
Danso-Acheampong on Tuesday said the jailed MP for Keta,
Daniel Kwasi Abodakpi ceased to be a parliamentarian when he
was jailed by the Fast Track High Court on February 5.
In a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Begyina Sekyi
Hughes, he said: “I respectfully write as a concerned
citizen of Ghana to remind you that Dan Abodakpi on being
convicted and sentenced by the High Court (Fast Track)
mandatorily ceases to be a Member of Parliament.”
Mr Acheampong said the 1992 Constitution made it
“unambiguously clear to Abodakpi under Article 91 (1) (e)
and Article 92 (2) (e) to vacate his seat mandatorily”.
He said the Constitution was not subject to any law and
therefore any law purported to state anything contrary to
the unambiguous provision was void.
“The 1992 Constitution does not permit any Member of
Parliament convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction to
hold on to his seat on grounds that he has filed an appeal,”
he said.
Mr Acheampong said the law cited by those who believed that
Mr Abodakpi could still hold on to the seat while in prison
was “void and provided no salvation to Mr Abodakpi”.
“Without mincing words, the seat which Mr Abodakpi occupied
has been vacant since the date of his conviction and
sentence and it must be so declared if he is not prepared to
honourably vacant it as mandated.”
An Accra Fast Track High Court on February 5 sentenced
Abodakpi, former Minister of Trade and Industry to 10 years’
imprisonment.
The Court presided over by Mr Justice S.T. Farkye, an
Appeals Court Judge sitting with additional responsibility
as a High Court Judge, found him guilty of conspiracy,
defrauding by false pretences and willfully causing
400,000-dollar financial loss to the State.
It observed that monies were paid 400,000 dollars to Dr
Frederick Owusu Boadu, a consultant of Leebda Corporation,
whom the accused persons claimed conducted feasibility study
for a Science and Technology Park Valley Farm Project which
was not done.
Abodakpi was standing trial with late Victor Selormey,
Former Deputy Finance Minister.
Abodakpi and Selormey were being tried on seven counts of
conspiracy to commit crime; defrauding by false pretences
and wilfully causing a total loss of 2.73 billion cedis to
the State.
The court sentenced him 10 years imprisonment each on the
seven counts. Sentences were to run concurrently.
Abodakpi denied all the charges.
GNA
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