Agalga accuses Minority caucus of playing to the gallery over cocaine probe demand

Majority Leader James Agalga has accused the Minority of playing to the gallery with its demand for a parliamentary probe into cocaine seizures. Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Wednesday, he said the caucus knew Parliament could not conduct criminal investigations. Yet it was pressing for an inquiry into matters already being handled by investigators and the courts.

“Parliament has not got the power to conduct criminal investigations,” he said. “The minority is aware that Parliament is not clothed with the power to carry out criminal investigations.” Mr Agalga questioned what a parliamentary inquiry would achieve when arrests, prosecutions and trials were already underway. “Many, several people have been arrested.

Some arraigned before the courts. Some have been granted bail. Trial is ongoing in some cases. Can you want Parliament to investigate exactly what?” His criticism follows the Minority’s successful push to recall Parliament from recess over major narcotics seizures linked to Ghana. The caucus secured more than the required 15 per cent support among MPs to trigger an extraordinary sitting.

It sought a bipartisan inquiry into the seizures and possible failures in port security, cargo inspections and customs controls. However, at the September 29 sitting, Speaker Alban Bagbin ruled the proposed inquiry inadmissible in its submitted form. The Speaker said its scope overlapped with ongoing investigations and pending court proceedings. He warned that a parliamentary committee could examine transactions and questions of responsibility that were before the courts.

His ruling stopped the inquiry from proceeding as proposed. Mr Agalga invoked the sub judice principle to reinforce his objection. He argued that Parliament’s own rules restricted its involvement in matters already before the judiciary. “So I guess the sub judice principle is so clear.” He maintained that the Minority understood those restrictions but was pursuing the demand regardless.

“The minority knows this.”