Parliament’s Privileges Committee has invited the MP for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini to provide evidence in the case against Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong, in which the latter instigated attacks against JoyNews reporter, Erastus Asare Donkor.

This was contained in an invitation a letter issued by the Committee of Privileges, signed by Principal Assistant Clerk, Akua Durowaa Owusu-Agyekum and addressed to the Tamale North legislator.

The letter dated July 28, stated: “I have been directed by the Chairman of the Committee to kindly request you, being the complainant in this case, to furnish the Committee with evidence of the alleged misconduct prior to the meeting. You are also invited to attend upon the Committee to assist in its deliberations. The Committee counts very much on your kind cooperation in this regard.”

According to the Committee, the testimony of the Tamale North MP is paramount since he drew the attention of the House to an alleged breach of parliamentary privilege and contemptuous conduct by the Member of Parliament for Assin Central Constituency.

MP for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini, told Parliament that, “for those utterances to be attributed to a Committee Chairman (Defence and Interior Committee) of this House, I think it calls for the attention of this House. Mr Speaker, he said that if he were the President of Ghana, he would have ensured that the said journalist, Erastus Asare Donkor, is beaten seriously and this comes in the wake of another such utterance he made in relation to Ahmed Suale which led to the identity of Suale being compromised and eventually murdered.

“I think that as a former journalist, I feel obliged to draw the attention of the House to the conduct of the MP which in my view, brings this House into disrepute and so Mr Speaker, I urge you to exercise your powers and refer this conduct of the honourable Member to the Privileges Committee to ascertain the veracity of the comments made and recommend some sanctions that will serve as a deterrent to other members,” Mr Suhuyini told the House on Wednesday, July 14.

Following his submission, Speaker Alban Bagbin referred the Assin Central MP, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, to the Privileges Committee of Parliament for instigating attacks against JoyNews reporter, Erastus Asare Donkor.

“This is my first time hearing this matter. As it is now, I am compelled to refer to the Privileges Committee. It is a matter the Privileges Committee will have to go into and report to the House and it is for the House to decide whether the honourable Member is contentious of the House,” the Speaker said.

Mr Agyapong, on Friday, July 9, was reported to have verbally abused and threatened to attack Mr Asare Donkor, “for the journalistic work that the latter undertook during the recent shootings and killing incident at Ejura” on Net 2 TV, a television station owned by the MP.

The politician was filmed during the live programme which was widely published on social media platforms, stating that, “if he [Mr Agyapong] were President, he would have ensured that Erastus Asare Donkor is beaten mercilessly.”

Following his actions, the Multimedia Group has filed a formal complaint against the Assin Central legislator, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong for threatening the life of Erastus Asare Donkor.