Prosecute 'ballot-snatcher' Carlos Ahenkorah – Tema West youth

A group calling itself the Concerned Youth Of Tema West has expressed disgust in the act of ballot papers snatching by their Member of Parliament (MP), Carlos Ahenkorah during the election of the Speaker of the 8th Parliament on Thursday, 7 January 2021.

They are calling for the prosecution of the legislator.

A statement issued by the group noted, “We the Concerned Youth of Tema West wishes to condemn frontally, unambiguously and in its strongest terms the embarrassing spectacle occasioned by the recklessness of our MP, Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah.

“We again demand the leadership of the house to deal and prosecute Carlos Ahenkrah immediately and now to serve as a deterrent to others. In the just-ended election a ballot snatcher was jailed for three months for that criminal offence,” it added.

Mr Ahenkorh, while counting was ongoing in the speakership race between NPP's Prof Mike Oquaye and the NDC's Alban Bagbin, snatched the ballot papers and attempted bolting but was caught by NDC lawmakers who gave him a hot chase.

He has since apologised in a press statement explaining that “I did it for the grassroots who relied on us in power to survive, the president who needs some peace to run the country and the greater NPP party as a whole because we cannot always allow the NDC to threaten and vilify us”.

“I apologise though to my family and friends, both far and near, who may be affected by my actions.”

“The NPP in me couldn’t be controlled. I apologise but I tried!!!”

Mr Bagbin eventually emerged the winner from the chaotic voting process.

The Concerned Tema Youth said they are disappointed in the lawmaker.



Read their full statement below:

CONCERNED YOUTH OF TEMA WEST CONDEMNS TEMA WEST MP CARLOS AHENKRAH's UNRULY BEHAVIOUR IN PARLIAMENT AND DEMANDS FOR HIS IMMEDIATE PROSECUTION

We, the Concerned Youth Of Tema West painfully monitored the proceedings in the law chamber yesterday particularly in respect of the selection of speaker of Parliament and all of that. We have learned that Carlos Kingsley Ahenkrah, the Tema West MP during voting decided to snatch a ballot paper and bolted with it like a common criminal. In the act, he was intercepted by other NDC MPs particularly Hon Mohammed Muntaka, he stopped him and gave him some beatings.

This episode occasioned by Carlos Ahenkrah generated a standoff so much so that the military invaded the law chamber to forestall the chaotic situation. Since the start of consultative democracy in 1992, this embarrassing situation has never happened in our history. That a Member of Parliament steals a ballot paper to scuttle voting and necessitates a military invasion into the chamber. This is criminal. This is unparliamentary. This is immoral and unethical and unbecoming of an MP. You may recall he showed similar behaviour during the LOCKDOWN when he ‘consciously and deliberately infected his constituents with covid19 leading to the death of his own campaign team member. Because he wasn't punished the last time’. it has given him the boldness to commit another crime again.

We, the Concerned Youth of Tema West, wish to condemn frontally, unambiguously and in the strongest terms, the embarrassing spectacle occasioned by the recklessness of our MP, Carlos Kingsley Ahenkrah.

We again demand on the leadership of the house to deal and prosecute Carlos Ahenkrah immediately and NOW to serve as a deterrent to others. In the just-ended election, a ballot-snatcher was jailed for three months for that criminal offence.