A 35-year-old man, Kojo Mensah, yesterday attempted suicide in Parliament when he tried jumping from the public gallery to the chamber floor of the House.
The incident happened around 1:30pm immediately the House adjourned for the day’s business as the marshals led the Second Deputy Speaker out of the House.
Wearing a New Patriotic Party embossed T-shirt with the picture of Joseph Mensah, the Member of Parliament for Kwesimintsim, Kojo Mensah was said to have tried on several occasions to see the Kwesimintsim MP without success.
The suspect, who the Ghanaian Times gathered had lost his father and with a responsibility to foot the medical bills of a sick mother, arrived in Parliament at about 11am to see the lawmaker.
Disappointed not to have seen the lawmaker after several visits, Kojo Mensah, who resides in the Kwesimintsim Constituency decided to take his life.
To execute his plan, Kojo Mensah, who is nursing a dislocated shoulder injury, untied the bandage supporting his shoulder to carry out the act.
Rooted to his seat when he was supposed to be up on his feet as the Speaker walks out of the Chamber, the 35 year-old nicodemously untied the bandage, tied it around one of the seats, extended to his neck in readiness to jump from the public gallery.
Alarmed by his actions, security operatives of the Parliamentary Protection Unit of the Ghana Police Service, quickly moved in to avert what would have been a disaster as they quickly whisked him away in handcuffs.
Visibly in pain from his injuries as the police escort him to the Parliamentary Police Post, the suspect moaned amid wailing “I want to kill myself. Joseph Mensah, MP for Kwesimintsim, I will kill myself.”
Briefing the media on the incident, Superintendent Freeman Tettey, Commander of the Parliamentary Protection said the motive of the suspect was unknown.
Without giving further details, Supt Tettey said “we have salvaged the situation on the spot.”
Supt Tettey assured that the security was on high alert and would continue to protect all persons who visit the House to observe proceedings in accordance with their constitutional right.
The suspect has since been transferred to the Ministries Police Station for further interrogation and action.
The Kwesimintsim MP, meanwhile, is in Switzerland on official Parliamentary assignment, the Ghanaian Times has gathered.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
