ICC Breathing Down On Kennedy Agyapong’s Neck

Little by little, the Assin North Member of Parliament (MP), Kennedy Akompreko Ohene Agyepong’s cup is getting full. Fellow countrymen and women, one would have thought that the tumultuous welcome received by the Kingpin of intemperate political speech would have saved him.

Unfortunately for Ken, however, it is becoming increasingly clear that the hate-speech lord cannot escape the shackles of the International Criminal Court (ICC) of justice.

Witnesses to the beastly genocide the likes of Charles Taylor, late Foday Sankoh and others perpetrated on the people of Liberia and Sierra Leone through their hate-speeches and other actions and inactions, subsequent to punishment smacked on them have made it explicit that inflammatory comments like that of Kennedy Agyapong will not be tolerated in society per the pronouncement soon to be made by the ICC on Charles Taylor.

In the aftermath of these heinous genocides, Taylor received heroic welcome from his callous comrades all over the world similar to how the Assin North MP of Ghana was given a thumb-up and held in higher esteem by his fellow party members for his bravery in declaring war on Ghana, as well as inciting Ashanti’s against people of Ewe and Ga heritage. Evident in the trial of Charles Taylor and the charges slapped on him, pending the final verdict slated for May 30th, 2012, it is therefore undeniable that people like Kennedy Agyapong has no place in society having proven to be a threat to the human race.

Should government heed to the call by civil organizations as well as discerning minds that the legislator (Kennedy Agyapong) be referred to the ICC for trial, following the gravity of his offense and sharing the same philosophy with Charles Taylor, not even the ghosts of his grandfathers will save him from incurring the wrath of the ICC.

Having gotten away with his recklessness over the years, Mr. Kennedy Agyepong met his waterloo when on his own Oman FM station, he declared “WAR” in Ghana, and went ahead to beat a “GENOCIDAL” war drum asking Ashantis to kill Ewes and Gas resident in the Ashanti Region.

Apart from his criminal war cum genocidal cries, the Akufo-Addo’s warlord also reaffirmed his call for NPP militants to lynch police and military personnel. Charged with an act of terrorism, included in the eleven charges preferred on Charles Taylor for which he will be sentenced is, therefore, a tacit admission of the fact that the Assin North MP should not be treated with kids-glove; but referred to the ICC so that he can be better taken care of, since Ghanaians have lost trust in our judiciary.

This was made possible, when the Ghana Coalition for the International Criminal Court, Wednesday April 25, 2012 at 2pm (local time in Netherlands), presented to Mr. Luis Moreno-Ocampo, Chief Prosecutor of the ICC , on behalf of millions of Ghanaians, petition pursuant to Article 15 of the Rome Statute of the ICC. In doing so, the Ghana Coalition for the ICC believes firmly in the view expressed by the Court on January 24, 2012, that, it is better to avert future acts of genocide and violence.

The Ghana Coalition in its petition received by Mr. Ocampo here in The Hague, Netherlands, is asking the Office of the Chief Prosecutor to investigate the genocidal statements and ethnic-cleansing pronouncements of a Member of Ghana’s Parliament, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong.

“We have provided the ICC through Mr. Ocampo with audio recordings; newspaper cuttings and other evidential materials necessary to enable his office consider our petition” , the group indicated

“It is the strong belief of the Ghana Coalition that Mr. Agyapong’s statements make him liable for prosecution under Article 3c of the United Nations Convention on the prevention of genocide. Ghana may be the most stable democracy in Africa with relatively strong institutions. But the examples of Kenya and Ivory Coast have shown us that the prospect of violence is real, especially, in a situation where the country’s Judiciary appears unwilling to punish individuals who incite or engage in violence”, they further stated.

“We trust that the ICC will act in a timely manner to avert bloodshed, so that, in the years to come, regret will not be expressed, as in the case of Rwanda; particularly so, as the month of April marks the 18th anniversary of the unspeakable evil perpetrated against over 800 persons who were slaughtered in that country”, the group in its statement to the ICC concludes.