Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Justice Srem-Sai, has addressed allegations made by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin regarding a recent raid conducted by National Security operatives at the residence of former Bank of Ghana Governor Dr. Ernest Addison.
In a statement on Twitter, Justice Srem-Sai sought to clarify the claims, cautioning against the misuse of parliamentary immunity to spread potentially misleading information.
He expressed concern that Afenyo-Markin’s remarks could lead to public misunderstanding and reputational harm to those involved in the raid.
Justice Srem-Sai emphasized the constitutional protections that shield Members of Parliament from defamation lawsuits, explaining that these privileges are meant to foster good-faith parliamentary discourse, not to provide cover for false or malicious statements.
“The Constitution grants MPs some protection against defamation suits. By the law literature, the purpose of this protection is to enhance the quality of GOOD FAITH parliamentary debate. The protection is not a security for false or malicious commentary,” he wrote.
He criticized the Minority Leader’s comments, stating that such misuse of parliamentary privileges could erode public trust and create unnecessary controversy.
“Sadly, an MP has chosen to abuse this protection by using the premises of Parliament to peddle malicious falsehoods, resulting in public disaffection and opprobrium for persons,” he added.
Justice Srem-Sai also noted that Dr. Addison had access to legal counsel and representation throughout the search process, which, he said, was conducted in accordance with court authorization.
“The search was conducted in line with the terms of the court authorization and cordially. Such abuse of MPs’ constitutional protection will be corrected and remedied for the healthy growth of our democracy,” he concluded.