'The law does not need brute force to work' - Sylvester Tetteh on MP's detention

New Patriotic Party (NPP) General Secretary hopeful, Sylvester Tetteh, has criticised the handling of the Manhyia South Member of Parliament, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, insisting that Ghana does not need the use of force to demonstrate that the law is working. Tetteh said while he had no objection to investigations or efforts to ensure accountability, state institutions must exercise their powers with restraint, professionalism and respect for human dignity. “Ghana does not need brute force to demonstrate that the law is working,” he said in a statement. According to Tetteh, law enforcement must not become a means of intimidation, humiliation or the excessive deployment of state power. “I have no difficulty with investigations. I have no difficulty with accountability. What I reject, unequivocally, is any suggestion that the machinery of the state can be deployed in a manner that creates fear, spectacle or political intimidation,” he stated. He said the MP remained a citizen and an elected representative whose office deserved respect. Detention, Office Search, CCTV Seizure: Details of Manhyia South MP’s EOCO ordeal He added that any allegations against him should be dealt with through transparent and lawful procedures. Sylvester Tetteh called on EOCO and other relevant state institutions to demonstrate the professionalism expected of institutions operating under the Constitution. “Power must be exercised with restraint. Authority must be accountable. And the rule of law must apply equally to everyone,” he stated. He further expressed solidarity with the Manhyia South MP, saying accountability should not be separated from fairness, due process and respect for human dignity. “Whatever the allegations may be, they must be established through due process not through intimidation, spectacle or the excessive use of force,” he stressed. His comments follow the detention of the Manhyia South MP at the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) in connection with an ongoing investigation. Read the statement below MRA/VPO Inside Ghana’s Abandoned Engineering Powerhouse: What Went Wrong? Source: www.ghanaweb.com
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