The Majority Chief Whip, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor has clarified that the MP for Asante Akim North, Mr Kwame Ohene Frimpong was travelling on a diplomatic passport but was on a private trip.
He makes the point that this distinction complicates the question of diplomatic immunity.
Mr Kwame Ohene Frimpong has been detained at the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
This was disclosed by the Clerk to Parliament, Mr Ebenezer Djietror, in a Facebook post on May 12.
“It has come to the attention of Parliament that, the Hon Member for Asante Akyem North Constituency, Mr Kwame Ohene Frimpong has been detained at the Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam in the Netherlands,” the post read.
It added that, “The Rt Hon Speaker and the Leadership of the House are in touch with Ghana’s Mission in The Hague for detailed information on the matter. The public will be duly informed appropriately on this matter.”
Ohene Kwame Frimpong is a Ghanaian entrepreneur and politician. Frimpong contested the 2024 parliamentary elections as an independent candidate and defeated the incumbent member of parliament, Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi.
The US waited for him to get out of Ghana before he was arrested.
Speaking on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, May 16, Dafeamekpor said that “So those diplomatic courtesies or immunities may not automatically extend because it was a private trip,” he explained.
However, he added that the fact that the MP was travelling with a diplomatic passport still raises legal and diplomatic considerations that Ghana’s Attorney-General is currently reviewing.
“The Attorney-General has been asked to offer an opinion on whether diplomatic privileges can be triggered in this instance,” he said.
Dafeamekpor also disclosed that Parliament routinely advises MPs to use ordinary passports for personal travel rather than diplomatic passports, although many still opt for diplomatic documents because of visa privileges and travel convenience.
