Ghana’s Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has thrown out a private members’ motion seeking an official parliamentary probe into the massive 3.9-tonne cocaine seizure in France.
Delivering his directive, Speaker Bagbin revealed that after evaluating the motion alongside the ongoing criminal investigations and pending court trials, allowing the House to step in would severely breach parliamentary guidelines. He cited the constitutional oversight duties of Parliament, established precedents, Standing Order 103(5)(f), and his authority under Order 5 as the basis for the decision.
He highlighted that the overlap between the proposed parliamentary committee’s mandate and the ongoing court proceedings is far beyond incidental.
According to him, a parallel probe by Parliament would delve into factual issues currently tied up in the criminal justice system, potentially interfering with witness testimonies, evidence, and legal determinations.
“Honourable members, to investigate this matter would mean this House making the following decisions or determining a number of issues including the different parties as far as this transaction are concerned. The committee would have to evaluate and assess how these transactions are made and then determine why some actions are taken by some actors and why other actors oppose taking any action at the ports of entry,” he stated.
He further cautioned that undertaking such an assessment would result in Parliament attempting to resolve the exact issues reserved for the judiciary.
“Accordingly, I am of the considered opinion that permitting the motion to proceed in its present form as presented by a leader of the House at this particular time may prejudice the interest of parties to pending judicial proceedings,” Speaker Bagbin ruled.
“Now therefore, I rule pursuant to Standing Orders 5(6) and 103(f) that the private members’ motion is inadmissible.”
Updating MPs on the matter, Bagbin pointed out that key suspects connected to the drug bust are already facing prosecution, meaning the judicial process is actively underway.
Court registry checks confirmed that four main cases linked to the narcotics scandal are currently before the courts, involving roughly 21 individuals on trial.
The rejected motion had aimed to dissect the specific roles played by individuals, firms, and state agencies, trace how the drug shipments were processed and exported through domestic ports, and unravel the wider criminal syndicates behind the trafficking ring.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
