MP Assaults Bailiff

Information reaching Daily Guide indicates that the Member of Parliament for South Dayi constituency in the Volta Region, Edem Asimah has denigrated the Ho High court by allegedly assaulting a bailiff sent by the court to serve him with a writ of summons.

Mr Asimah refused to take the writ of summons and asked the bailiff to come and serve him in Parliament.The bailiff, Pius Kofi Abredu, who narrated the alleged attack on him to DAILY GUIDE, noted that the incident happened on Monday December 19, 2011.

He said on that fateful day he arrived at the residence of the MP at Peki-Wudome at about 12:27pm.On entering the sitting room, the MP welcomed him after which he introduced himself and disclosed his mission.

He said the MP gladly received the writ of summons which was filed by one Dr. Kwame Ampofo, the immediate past MP of the area, on the claims of defamation against him by Mr Asimah.He said just as he was about to leave the sitting room three well-built men and a lady entered the room and asked him if he was the one who alighted from Dr. Ampofo�s vehicle, to which he answered in the affirmative.

The four persons said they were there to protect the MP because he was the only one in the house. Mr. Ampofo, as a normal requirement, was assisting in directing service of the writ.

Mr. Abredu said �immediately after that comment, the MP, Edem Asimah held my neck together with the collar of my shirt while the other four pounced on me and manhandled me as if I was a thief or some murderer.�

He noted that the assault continued for a few minutes and he tried to escape but was overpowered by his attackers.

He said an attempt to reach the door of the room proved futile, as he was dragged backwards by the MP and his goons.

�The MP then asked me to collect the writ of summons and send it to whoever sent me, which I refused and told him since he has received it I couldn�t collect it back,� he added.

He said his attackers then locked the door, detained and manhandled him.

The soft-spoken bailiff noted that after the door was locked, he became afraid and took back the writ.

He added that after a few minutes, he was dragged out of the room to the porch where he was then released.

With the assistance of Dr. Ampofo, the plaintiff, the bailiff was able to go to the Peki District Police station where he lodged a complaint.

�I was made to write a statement after which two policemen were asked to accompany me to the MP�s residence to have him arrested and brought to the station for questioning.

�However, on reaching the MP�s house, the main gate was locked and the MP was nowhere to be found.�

The bailiff was handed a medical form to go for a medical assessment which he did.

He told Daily Guide the ordeal had left him with some neck and waist pains which he was currently nursing. A source at the Peki Police Station confirmed the incident to Daily Guide.

The source added that the Police were currently making efforts to get the Clerk and Speaker of Parliament to release the South Dayi MP, Edem Asimah for questioning.

It would be recalled that Dr. Ampofo was the MP of South Dayi from 2001 to 2008 until he was unseated by Mr. Asimah during the NDC parliamentary primaries ahead of the 2008 elections. Party members and other locals in the constituency hinted DAILY GUIDE that since the 2008 general elections, the two gentlemen had not have the best of relationships.

The two were expected to engage in another hot face-off in the upcoming parliamentary primaries of the NDC which is tipped to be a very stiff battle.

Both have picked nomination forms to contest the primaries.

Source: Fred Duodu, Peki