Politicians who steal millions should not think they are above goat thieves - Mahama Ayariga

Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, has cautioned politicians against considering themselves a special class of citizens who can commit crimes and escape prosecution. According to him, the law must apply equally to everyone, regardless of their political status or position in society. Speaking in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga said lawmakers should not use the chamber or other platforms to intimidate law enforcement agencies when they are carrying out their duties, particularly when dealing with alleged criminal conduct. “I don’t believe that anybody should try to use this chamber or any platform to intimidate the law enforcement agencies when they are cracking down on criminal conduct, be they conduct of politicians, of ordinary armed robbers, of any other citizen,” he said. He stressed that criminal conduct should not be given a political interpretation simply because a politician is involved. Police arrest five over robbery, murder of gold buyer at Agona Nkwanta “Crime is crime,” he stated, adding that Parliament passes laws for them to be enforced outside the chamber. Mahama Ayariga said it was inappropriate for lawmakers to attack or undermine law enforcement agencies when those agencies are enforcing laws passed by Parliament. He further warned politicians against believing that their status gives them immunity from prosecution, contrasting the treatment of ordinary citizens accused of stealing with the attitude of some politicians accused of financial crimes. “I have repeatedly said in this chamber that we should not consider ourselves as politicians, as being in a special class that can commit crimes and get away with it,” he said. According to him, individuals who steal goats, fowls, guinea fowls or rams are sent to prison when found guilty, yet politicians accused of stealing millions of Ghana cedis sometimes believe they deserve different treatment because of their positions. “When those who steal goats and fowls and guinea fowls are sent to jail… we, when we steal millions of Ghana cedis, are politicians. We think that we belong to a special class and when law enforcement agencies come after us, we will protest,” he said. Ayariga maintained that such an attitude undermines Ghana’s progress and urged lawmakers to allow law enforcement agencies to perform their duties without political interference or intimidation. “I believe that this country cannot progress with an attitude like that. And so I don’t believe that it is fair when the law enforcement agencies are doing their work for us to come to this chamber and try to bastardise those law enforcement agencies,” he added. AK/AMSource: www.ghanaweb.com
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