Debate on "Eric Amoateng" Bill deferred

Accra, May 30, GNA - The Speaker, Mr. Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes, on Wednesday deferred debate on the Transfer of Convicted Persons Bill after the Chairman of the Committee on Defense and Interior, Mr. Eugene Atta Agyepong, told the House that his committee was not part of a joint report presented to Parliament.

Mr Agyepong said his signature was not on a document said to be jointly prepared by the Committees on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, and Defense and Interior.

The issue came up shortly after the Attorney-General, Mr Joe Ghartey, moved a motion for the Second Reading of the Bill seconded by Mr. Kofi Osei-Ameyaw, Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, who then presented the joint report of committees, detailing the merits of the bill, which is to enable Ghanaians convicted outside the country to serve their sentences in Ghana and other foreign nationals convicted in Ghana to serve their sentences in their own countries.

According to Mr. Agyepong, so far as he was concerned, the joint report of the committees should have both signatures of the chairmen indicating a joint work. However, the report presented to the House on Wednesday had only the signature of Mr Osei-Ameyaw, which goes to show that members of the Defence and Interior Committee were not part of the report.

Deputy Majority Leader, Mr. Abraham Ossei-Aidooh, who stood up on a point of order, told the Speaker to rule Mr Agyepong out since Bill had already been laid before the House days ago, without any objection from the member.

The report on the Transfer of Convicted Persons Bill was laid in Parliament last Wednesday. Mr Sekyi Hughes, however, deferred debate on the Bill to allow the two chairmen sort matters out. Earlier, the Attorney General told the House that the object of the Bill was not to fly a plane load of Ghanaian prisoners into the country or foreign prisoners out of the country but each case would be dealt with on a one on one basis and after very wide consultations with stakeholders.

The current law on imprisonment does not permit the transfer of foreign nationals convicted and sentenced by Ghanaian courts for offences committed in Ghana from serving their sentences in their respective countries and vice versa.

The object of the Transfer of Convicted Persons is to enable Ghanaians convicted outside the country to serve their sentences in Ghana and other foreign nationals convicted in Ghana to serve their sentences in their own countries. The Extradition Act 1960, (Act 22) only permits a person accused of an offence committed outside Ghana to serve the term of imprisonment in Ghana where the Republic of Ghana has an extradition agreement with the other country. So far, there are no figures to indicate the number of Ghanaian prisoners outside but it is on record that about 100 Ghanaian prisoners are in jail in Thailand. 30 May 07