A deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Obiri Boahen, has defended the Awutu Senya East MP, Mavis Hawa Koomson, after she admitted to firing a gun at a voter registration centre in her constituency.
Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Obiri Boahen, who is also a lawyer, insisted that the MP was justified in discharging a firearm because it was in self-defence.
As far as he is concerned, the MP “has not committed any offence.”
“She has the right to defend her life, limb and liberty under the constitution of Ghana,” he insisted.
The shooting occurred during a confrontation between persons believed to be aligned to the NPP and the National Democratic Congress.
Both sides have claimed they were attacked by each other leading to the shooting and subsequent arrest of four persons.
Despite the widespread criticism of Hawa Koomson and calls for her to resign, Mr. Obiri-Boahen insisted that she was left with no other options because of the alleged attacks on the MP and her entourage.
“If people go to the registration centre and others arm themselves to go and disrupt the registration, people will defend themselves,” he stated.
The NDC has been among the critics of the MP and called for her dismissal from her Special Development Initiatives ministerial portfolio.
Also speaking on Eyewitness News, the NDC Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, said it was a shame that Mr. Obiri Boahen “would defend this illegal and criminal conduct” of the Minister.
“We must learn to call out public officers who violate the law and act with impunity and in ways that has the tendency to undermine the peace and stability of this country,” Mr. Gyamfi added.
He further rubbished the suggestion that Mrs. Hawa Koomson acted in self defence.
“Was there an imminent threat to her life? Did anybody pull a gun on her? Did anybody attempt to assault her,” he asked.
