[ 2012-04-26 ]

MP for Assin North, Mr Kennedy Ohene Agyapong

Kennedy Agyapong sent to ICC
The Ghana Coalition for the International Criminal
Court (ICC) has petitioned the court to
investigate the genocidal statements and
ethnic-cleansing pronouncements of the Member of
Parliament (MP) for Assin North, Mr Kennedy Ohene
Agyapong.

The petition was presented by three members of the
coalition, Mr Francis Kojo Arthur, Mr Eric Akomayi
and Mr Fortune Sase.

In a brief remark at the presentation, Mr Arthur,
who is the legal officer of the coalition, said
the petition was presented in pursuant to Article
I5 of the Rome Statute of the ICC.

“In doing so, the Ghana Coalition for the ICC
believes firmly in the view expressed by the court
on January 24, 20I2 that it is better to avert
future acts of genocide and violence,” it said.

In the petition, the coalition said that events in
Ghana since 2009 gave cause to believe that
politicians, especially within the opposition New
Patriotic Party (NPP), were plotting to unleash
violence, war, genocide and ethnic cleansing
either prior to or in the event that they lost the
December 20I2 elections.

“Since losing the 2008 elections, the rhetoric of
the opposition NPP and its leadership has assumed
very inflammatory and alarmingly belligerent
tones. Both publicly and in secret, they have
urged their followers to resort to violence in
order to win the 20I2 elections,” it said.

It explained that those developments did not augur
well for the safety and security of the people of
Ghana “and it is in this regard that we have taken
the decision to bring to the attention of the ICC
the genocidal and ‘call to kill’ comments of a
leading member of the NPP and MP, Kennedy Ohene
Agyapong, for investigation and action,” it said.

The petition indicated that the coalition would
provide evidence to show that Mr Agyapong’s
statements for ethnic cleansing of some tribes in
Ghana followed a pattern set by the leadership of
the NPP.

It explained that speaking on his radio station,
Oman FM, on Friday, April I3, 20I2, Mr Agyapong
“declared war in Ghana” and challenged Ghana’s
National Security Co-ordinator to arrest him if he
could.

“He also proceeded to incite the Akan population
in the Ashanti Region to attack any Ewe and Ga
persons they come into contact with,” it added.

It said the coalition believed that Mr Agyapong’s
statements made him liable for prosecution under
Article 3C of the United Nations Convention on
Genocide.

The petition added that Ghana was about the most
stable democracy in Africa, with relatively strong
institutions, and expressed the confidence of the
coalition in the ability of the Electoral
Commission to conduct free, fair and transparent
elections in December 20I2.

It said the prospect of violence was real,
especially in a situation where the country’s
Judiciary appeared unwilling to punish individuals
who incited or engaged in violence.

“In light of the above, we appeal to your outfit
to commence investigations into Mr Agyapong’s
conduct, with a view to bringing him to justice
within the framework of international law,” it
said.

It called on the ICC to adopt a more proactive
posture, rather than wait for crimes against
humanity to be committed before bringing people to
justice.

The petition cited a number of statements by some
leaders of the NPP which, according to the
coalition, had continued to serve as motivation
for other officials of the party to preach
violence and incite ethnic sentiments.

The coalition also provided the ICC with audio
recordings, newspaper cuttings and other
evidential materials necessary for the ICC to
consider the petition.

Source - Daily Graphic

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