Martin Kpebu says a 2008 Court of Appeal ruling could determine fate of the seat of detained Asante Akyem North MP

Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu says a 2008 Court of Appeal ruling involving former Nkoranza North MP Eric Amoateng could influence whether detained Asante Akyem North MP Ohene Kwame Frimpong loses his parliamentary seat. Speaking on JoyNews’ Top Story, Mr Kpebu said the ruling in Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare v Attorney-General & 3 Others could be relevant because Mr Frimpong has reportedly not obtained written permission from the Speaker of Parliament to be absent from parliamentary sittings. He argued that the circumstances surrounding the current MP’s absence could place him in a more difficult position than those considered in the earlier case. “The Court of Appeal held that the Speaker cannot give permission for an MP to be absent for more than 15 sittings. And in this particular case, from what Kweku Asare read, it says the MP has not even sought permission, so it means that his situation is even worse,” he said.