Court Orders Minister's Arrest

Gradually, drivers are becoming victims of "do you know me" syndrome of some state officials. First was the Central Regional Minister, Edumadze, followed by the Dangme East District Chief Executive, Mr. Kofi Plahar.

The pendulum has shifted to the territory of the Member of Parliament for Navrongo Central and Deputy Minister for Transport and Communications.

A circuit court at Nsawam has ordered police to arrest the Deputy Minister of Parliament for Navrongo Central, Honourable John Achuliwor.

The circuit court judge, Mr. S. S. Appiah, signed the warrant to arrest the minister dated the January 29, this year.

This was after the prosecutor informed the court that the Hon. Minister had refused to produce a suspect, one Fuseini Amama, he stood surety for in an assault case last September.

The police had earlier summoned the minister to produce the suspect by a letter dated January 15, this year.

The letter, a source at the Police Headquarters said, was handed to the office of the staff officer as a procedure to serve the minister.

It stated among other things formation affidavit and motion for forfeiture of recognisance bond for service on Hon. John Achuliwor.

Chronicle gathered that the trouble for the minister started on the 19th of September, last year at about 10pm.

Eyewitnesses told Chronicle, that while in traffic at Nsawam, the Deputy Minister's Toyota Hilux with registration number GT 1721 Q reportedly drove carelessly and an articulated driver had to exert his rich experience to avert a fatal accident.

The articulated truck driver, Joseph Tetteh Fiagbor, reportedly got down and enquired from the minister, who was driving, why he drove carelessly.

His vehicle had come from an acute position and allegedly entered the long traffic at a steep hill, near the Barclays Bank, close to the railway crossing.

The driver's inquisition was too much for the minister's bodyguard, described as a "Mr. Ghana" type.

He came down from the car in which a lady accompanied the minister and rained lofty blows to the head of Tetteh Fiagbor several times that sent him reeling on the ground.

Boys selling tea and cigarettes and other drivers rushed in to save the unconscious driver by which time the "Mr. Ghana," dressed in Lacoste shirt and hot pants to expose his muscular built, went into the Pick-up again and moved in the traffic.

Unfortunately, the snail pace-like movement of the traffic impeded any attempt to escape.

Joseph Tetteh Fiagbor, aided by sympathisers, managed to inform police on duty on the Densu Bridge at Nsawam.

As the minister's vehicle approached, police flagged him to stop, but first he refused and a policewoman sergeant managed to cross him on the bridge.

Eyewitness' account had it that the MP and minister asked the police "who are you to stop a VIP: Don't you know I am a minister ?".

The police in their numbers stood their grounds and insisted that since he is a dignitary; he rather should set a very good example.

Achuliwor later obliged to go to the Nsawam police station with the "machoman," but refused to pick up both police and victim, from whose nose and mouth blood oozed.

The eyewitness account said that he reported, "I will never allow any policeman to join any car."

At the station, police had a hectic time before the "machoman" could go behind the counter, as he remained outside.

The policewoman's order that assailant be made to go behind the counter was met with shock when the Honourable Minister allegedly replied acidly "who are you to order him to go behind the counter?"

After a few exchanges because the police did not know him, the MP reportedly smoked several sticks of cigarette in moments and stood surety for the "machoman".

He was asked to report on the 24th, but since then, he has not been seen, neither did he allow suspect to report to the station.

Police sources at Nsawam and national headquarters confirmed the story which investigation they said is impeded.

According to the Nsawam police source, Joseph Tetteh Fiagbor was issued with a police medical form to attend the Nsawam Government Hospital, which he did.

When reached by a reporter, the minister stated that the "machoman" was not his bodyguard, but rather a passenger and when asked if he runs a passenger vehicle, he carried the reporter through the definition of a passenger.

Again, when asked why he could stand surety for a passenger he did not know, the Honourable minister said that he never stood surety for the "machoman."

On the state of victim, the minister said, "My concern is that of the guy and not the victim."

He however stated that he would be visiting Nsawam that day, a Saturday, to see how far the case had travelled.