The Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North, Kwame Ohene Frimpong, remains in detention in the Netherlands as Ghanaian authorities continue efforts to obtain clarity from Dutch prosecutors over the circumstances surrounding his arrest.
Parliament has, however, secured legal representation for the legislator, popularly known as OK Frimpong, while awaiting official documentation, including an authenticated copy of the arrest warrant.
Speaking in an interview on TV3 yesterday and monitored by The Ghanaian Times, Majority Chief Whip, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor, said the MP contacted him shortly after his arrest on Sunday morning, triggering swift consultations among parliamentary leaders.
According to Mr Dafeamekpor, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga, who was travelling through Heathrow Airport at the time, redirected his journey to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport to engage Dutch officials over the matter.
He said the Majority Leader spent between two and three hours in discussions with authorities in an attempt to better understand the situation.
Mr Dafeamekpor explained that several state officials and institutions had since become involved in handling the issue, including the Foreign Affairs Minister, Ghana’s Ambassador to The Hague, the Attorney General, the Speaker of Parliament and the Clerk to Parliament.
“We have coordinated this matter very well,” he stated.
He also confirmed that a Ghanaian lawyer based and practising in the Netherlands had been engaged to represent the MP.
Despite the legal representation, Parliament says it is yet to receive official documents relating to the arrest.
“The prosecutor handling the matter in Amsterdam is yet to provide the necessary documents to the lawyer,” Mr Dafeamekpor noted, urging the public and the media to remain calm and avoid speculation.
Mr Frimpong was reportedly detained on Sunday, May 10, after arriving at Schiphol Airport aboard a KLM flight from Accra while transiting through the Netherlands en route to the United Kingdom, where his family lives.
The MP was travelling on a diplomatic passport, a factor Mr Dafeamekpor said has introduced additional legal and diplomatic considerations now being reviewed by the Attorney General.
Although some media reports have linked the detention to an alleged FBI investigation, the Majority Chief Whip said no official confirmation had been provided to Parliament or the MP’s legal team.
“We want to urge the media not to put out unconfirmed information,” he said. “Even the arrest warrant itself has not yet been officially presented to us.”
Mr Frimpong won the Asante Akim North parliamentary seat in the 2024 general election as an independent candidate before later joining the Majority Caucus in Parliament.
Parliament formally confirmed his detention on Tuesday in a statement signed by the Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, stating that the Speaker and parliamentary leadership were engaging Ghana’s mission in The Hague for further details.
Mr Dafeamekpor added that the MP was in good condition and had not been subjected to any mistreatment while in custody.
BY NELLY QUARCOOPOME
Follow our WhatsApp Channel now! https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAjG7g3gvWajUAEX12Q
