The Member of Parliament of Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah, has strongly condemned the raid on the private residence of the former Minister of Finance by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), a state security agency.

In an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb’s George Ayisi, Boamah stated that the action infringed upon Ofori-Atta's fundamental rights and privacy.

According to him, the constitution clearly outlines the privacy rights of citizens, asserting that the raid was in violation of these legal provisions.

“If you want to search the person’s home, comply with the provisions of the constitution. Article 18(2) says a person is entitled to his privacy. What I expected the state security agency to have done was to engage his lawyers when they wrote to him informing the office of his whereabouts or secured a warrant from the court if they were having challenges.

“But for them to have gone to his residence, I believe was a violation of his privacy and fundamental human rights,” he explained.

The lawmaker, representing the New Patriotic Party (NPP), maintained that the OSP and state agencies should have engaged with the legal team of the former minister.

He asserted that the appropriate approach for the OSP would have been to proceed to the courts if they believed any former government appointee had committed a crime.

Boamah emphasised that regardless of the allegations or charges against the former minister, he remains a citizen protected by the laws of the constitution.

“Ken Ofori-Atta is a citizen of Ghana and subject to the constitution of the country and any other law.

“We set up the OSP and office of the Attorney General, a principal legal advisor to government and has the right to initiate all civil and criminal actions for and behalf of the state. If a former government official or any officer of the erstwhile administration is deemed to have committed any crime, the law is there, go to court,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the OSP has taken Ken Ofori-Atta off the wanted persons list following engagements with his legal representatives.

Watch Boamah’s interview on GhanaWeb TV below:



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