Former Minority Leader of Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, has asked for Members of Parliament to be given immunity to stay out of court proceedings when it comes to Emergency Parliamentary duties.
He argues the immunity of MPs should go beyond being ill and indisposed to include the lawmakers discharging their lawful duties in critical times when their presence are most needed in the legislative house.
“Probably within the realm of the doctrine of separation of powers beyond being ill and beyond being indisposed, we probably would’ve to make a strong argument whether Parliamentary emergencies cannot be a justification – because that day the Hon Jacob Abdulai had to be in Parliament” Haruna Iddrisu emphasized.
The Tamale South lawmaker made this proposition when he appeared at the Tamale High Court on Monday (April 3, 2023) to solidarise with the embattled MP for Savelugu, Abdulai Iddrisu Jacob, standing trial for two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm.
The Court presided over by His Lordship, Justice Richard Kogyapwah, last Friday, March 31, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the MP after he failed to appear in court when the case was called.
However, after listening to the plea of counsel of the accused person, the presiding Judge on Monday, April 3, withdrew the arrest warrant.
Addressing Journalists in Tamale after the day’s proceedings, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu described the Savelugu legislator as a responsible lawmaker who would never ever be a fugitive of justice.
He added the NDC MP probably did not exercise good judgement in the reason he provided to the court which did not sit down well with the presiding Judge.
“But subsequently we have to avoid the third occurrence of this and I am sure he is accordingly advised” he added.
