The Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Justice Srem Sai, has indicated that constitutional protections shielding Members of Parliament (MPs) from defamation suits may be reviewed to prevent abuse.
His statement follows allegations that an MP has misused parliamentary privilege to spread falsehoods, causing public disaffection.
In a social media post, Justice Srem Sai emphasized that while the Constitution grants MPs immunity from defamation suits to encourage good-faith debate, it does not protect malicious or false commentary.
“Sadly, an MP has chosen to abuse this protection by using the premises of Parliament to peddle malicious falsehood, creating public disaffection and opprobrium for persons. That, clearly, defeats the purpose of the constitutional protection,” he stated.
His remarks also addressed concerns over the search of former Bank of Ghana Governor Dr. Ernest Addison’s residence, affirming that it was conducted legally and respectfully.
He assured that steps would be taken to prevent further misuse of MPs’ privileges, stressing that such corrections are essential for the healthy growth of Ghana’s democracy.