“FBI Won’t Pick Anyone Without Basis” – Lecturer Speaks on Arrest of Asante Akyem North MP
By Maurice Otoo
A lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr. Kwasi Amakye Boateng, has weighed in on the reported arrest of the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North in the Netherlands, stating that the involvement of the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) suggests the matter is serious and backed by investigations.
Speaking on the development at Kessben Maakye show, Dr. Boateng said the FBI’s action may have stemmed from an existing agreement between Ghana and the United States on security and criminal matters.
“The FBI came to pick some individuals from Ghana because they have an agreement with Ghana, and they have now picked the MP from Asante Akyem North in the Netherlands,” he stated.
According to him, the incident has sparked concern because many Ghanaians expected that former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta would be invited to answer questions in Ghana. Still, the involvement of American authorities appears to have shifted the course of the matter.
Dr. Boateng further noted that although the MP reportedly possessed a diplomatic passport and could prove he is a public official, those factors did not prevent the arrest.
“An MP has a diplomatic passport and could prove he is a public official, but all did not materialize,” he added.
The KNUST lecturer lamented that issues involving public officials often become complicated and attract intense public attention.
“It is unfortunate that if an issue of this kind involves an official, it becomes dirty,” he said.
Touching on the role of the FBI, Dr. Boateng explained that in the United States, criminal matters are taken seriously and handled professionally by the bureau.
“Even in the USA, if a case involves crime, it is the FBI that deals with it. They don’t just meddle with issues anyhow,” he stressed.
He added that the MP now faces a legal battle, warning that the outcome could have wider implications for Ghana’s international image.
Dr. Boateng, however, urged the public to uphold the principle of innocence until proven guilty.
“We must hope that he is innocent until proven guilty, so that we can digest this issue. I believe the FBI will soon bring the outcome,” he concluded.
