Ofosu Ampofo on the run as he allegedly changes hotels every night

Embattled National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Elder Samuel Ofosu Ampofo has been moving from one hotel to the other ever since news got to him that the Ghana Police Service was on a manhunt for him, ABC News Ghana has learnt.

“I did not know he was running from the Police but I know he has been changing hotels over the last five days which is unusual of him” a close associate of Mr. Ampofo told ABC News Ghana on condition of anonymity except to say he resides with him at Tema Community 22, Lashibi.

“I must say that his issue with the Ghana Police has really unsettled him but I never thought it could lead to him changing hotels in a bit to avoid arrest” he added

It came to light over the weekend that the Ghana Police Service had obtained a warrant for the arrest of Elder Ofosu Ampofo to aid investigations in connection with the recent fire outbreaks in the country.

The NDC National Chairman was invited through a formal letter to report to the CID to assist the Police investigate the recent fire outbreak but through his lawyers, he declined the invitation.

In the letter to the Police Service, his lawyer Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine said, “it is common knowledge that our client and one other person are currently the subject of criminal proceedings in court in Criminal Case Number CR0385/2019 intituled The Republic v. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo & Anthony Kwaku Boahen. The charges against them arose of investigations your office claims to have undertaken into certain voice recordings after the violence-ridden Ayawaso West Wuogon bye-elections. You would recall that when your office claimed to have “intercepted” a tape, our client, upon honouring your invitation, was arrested and interrogated for several hours by your investigators on suspicion of having committed in the unconstitutionally obtained tape could not sustain the charge of kidnapping against our client, your office immediately dropped that charge.”

“Having carefully reviewed your letter against the background of the ongoing prosecution of our client, we are unable to resist the conclusion that your invitation and so-called investigations into kidnapping, arson and other crimes is collateral to the on-going criminal trial, and that its purpose is partly to prejudice our client’s defence. Further, our client’s view the letter of invitation as reflective of an undeniable pattern of political harassment and intimidation which violates his fundamental human rights, particularly his constitutional rights to personal dignity and political association that is devoid of intimidation and harassment. On our part, while we appreciate that every citizen has a constitutional duty to assist law enforcement agencies in the discharge of their mandate, our considered view is that the current invitation constitutes a gross abuse of the investigative and prosecutorial powers of the police as a public institution. We take the respect view that since our client is not under arrest for the alleged offences, he is legally entitled to decline your invitation, we have therefore advised him accordingly,” the letter added.

Interestingly, the NDC says it had come to their knowledge that the government, using the security agencies, had obtained a court warrant for the arrest of its national Chairman.

A statement signed by NDC’s Director of Communications, Mr. Kakra Essamuah, said the party has further learnt that “the security agencies intend to do this apparently in conjunction with elements of NPP vigilante forces and that they intend to arrest the Chairman in a manner aimed at lowering him in the esteem of Ghanaians”.

The statement added that “whilst still respecting the already-stated stance of the Council of Elders regarding police invitations, we wish to state that the national Chairman is a law-abiding citizen who will never flout an order properly obtained from a court with authority to do so”.