It’s not too late for police to interrogate Hawa Koomson – Palgrave on 2020 warning shots incident

Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, Government Spokesperson on Governance and Security, has indicated that the Ghana Police Service can reopen investigations into the conduct of the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mavis Hawa Koomson when she fired warning shots at a registration centre in 2020.

He also encouraged the public to initiate processes for such investigations to commence “if anybody feels that nothing was done about it”.

His comments come on the back of the arrest and detention of NDC Parliamentary Candidate for the Awutu Senya East Constituency, Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor, for several hours on Saturday, for possessing firearms in her Honda CRV saloon car.

Mr Boakye-Danquah clearly stated that crime has no colour and no matter the apparent delay, the police can still invite the NPP MP and interrogate her.

The security expert made the assertions when he appeared on The Big Issue segment of TV3 New Day programme on Monday, June 10.

He also expressed concerns about how firearms are displayed whether registered or not, especially as the nation approaches the crucial December 7 general elections.

Mr Boakye-Danquah further maintained that the NDC PC, Ms Naa Koryoo, could have asked for police protection, which is within her rights, instead of securing firearms to defend herself.

Moreover, he called on the police and the small arms office to withdraw their gun licenses from “irresponsible persons”.

“The issue is that the Parliamentary Candidate of the NDC was found in possession of some pump action guns, four rounds pump action guns. I think that should be a concern for every Ghanaian and that’s a concern for me even as a security expert that no one in this country whether licensed or even not licensed, should want to be carrying guns around.

“Anyone who is a proper gunner, you never even show your gun,” he said.

“If you have been under attack four times, you report to the Ghana Police Service and ask the Ghana Police Service to give you protection, you can request for that,” he explained in response to concerns that Ms Naa Koryoo secured those guns legally due to alleged attacks from thugs associated with the incumbent MP, Hawa Koomson.

He continued by stating that “no one in this country is above the law. You can’t take the laws into your hands, even if you have a licensed gun, you can’t parade the licensed gun on the streets of Ghana.”

Asked specifically about Hawa Koomson’s conduct during voter registration in 2020 where she fired warning shots yet no arrest or detention was made on the minister by the police, the Government Spokesperson on Security said, “We can go into the substance of the issue and invite her. It’s not too late.”

“It’s never too late,” he reiterated, adding that despite the incident occurring in 2020, “you can always go into the issue.”

Background

Mavis Hawa Koomson, MP for Awutu Senya East on Monday July 20, 2020, admitted to firing shots at a voter registration centre in her constituency “to protect herself”.

According to her, she received information that members of the NDC were bussing people from outside the constituency, from Gomoa East and Nsawam, to come and register at the Step to Christ polling station.

She told the media that when she got to the registration centre, there were many boys on motorbikes and she felt her people’s lives and hers were in danger, so she fired warning shots in an attempt to scare them.

“I didn’t direct it at anybody,” she added, explaining she did not have her police escort with her at the time.

However, the Ghana Police Service has said the MP, Hawa Koomson will be invited to assist with investigations.