Amanda Clinton is a lawyer
Lawyer Amanda Clinton has stated that the detention of Asante Akim North MP Ohene Kwame Frimpong should serve as a wake-up call to Ghana’s authorities regarding alleged financial crimes and the handling of intelligence gathered by local security agencies.
Her comments follow reports that the lawmaker’s detention in the Netherlands is linked to investigations by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over alleged money laundering and suspected romance scams.
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Speaking on JoyNews on May 13, 2026, Amanda Clinton said parliamentary status does not automatically grant full diplomatic immunity under international law.
“Under the Vienna Convention, it mainly applies to accredited diplomats posted to embassies and consulates with specific diplomatic status. Therefore, [with] his status perhaps, he wouldn't enjoy full immunity per se,” she said.
She also suggested that international investigators may have avoided sharing information with Ghanaian authorities out of concern that investigations could be compromised.
“But if an investigation truly went on for at least a year, and if it can be said that no recourse was made to our own authorities, especially national security, EOCO, the FBI did not trust them with that information [considering the fact that] the investigation [could be] compromised,” she stated.
Amanda Clinton disclosed that she is personally aware of cases where security agencies had compiled intelligence on individuals but no action was taken.
“I do want to bring home the fact that this would happen because I am also privy to certain conversations with certain security agencies who have built dossiers about people. Literally, I mean, within the last year, no joke, serious dossiers about people,” she added.
According to her, some individuals continue to operate freely because of the protection they allegedly enjoy.
“But nothing could be done about them because they enjoy full immunity… but the level of immunity they enjoy is next to none, I would say, in this country,” she said.
The lawyer, however, stressed that the allegations against the MP remain unproven and noted that money laundering cases are often complex.
“And so, in reading some of these headlines, these allegations are completely alleged and money laundering is incredibly sophisticated,” she explained.
Clinton said the MP could still defend himself by distancing himself from transactions under investigation.
“It's true, the Honourable MP may mount a defence to distance himself from certain transactions because with money laundering, it’s placement layering and integration,” she said.
“And perhaps he was completely unaware of how some money may have… I would definitely give him the benefit of the doubt for that because it is highly sophisticated,” she added.
Amanda Clinton further criticised authorities for allegedly failing to act on intelligence available to them.
“It is also a signal to this government that this is not about party politics. But if you do not take care of things that your own agencies are notifying you about, in your own country.
“And you refuse to act, you do this whole media circus about who this person allegedly is, what tends to happen is, that person appears to be sophisticated per their rules,” she said.
She warned that Ghana risks embarrassment when local agencies fail to act and international authorities step in.
“And then, when Ghana doesn't deal with it, international agencies are aware. We are completely embarrassed,” she said.
Former Asante Akim North MP breaks silence on MP OK Frimpong's 'arrest'
Amanda Clinton concluded by saying the development should not come as a surprise.
“But as they reflect on it, I would like to say as a lawyer, that it is of no surprise to me that something like this could happen,” she added.
MAG/VPO
Former Asante Akim North MP breaks silence on MP OK Frimpong’s ‘arrest’
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