We’ve not received official reasons for arrest of Asante Akyem North MP - Dafeamekpor

Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor has stated that Ghanaian authorities and parliamentary leadership are yet to receive official details explaining the basis for the arrest of Asante Akyem North Member of Parliament, Kwame Ohene Frimpong, in the Netherlands.

Speaking in an interview on 3FM’s Sunrise programme on Thursday, May 14, 2026, Mr. Dafeamekpor said there remains significant uncertainty surrounding the allegations connected to the warrant that led to the MP’s detention at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam.

“To be candid, there is no official disclosure of the reasons. We are yet to get the reasons underpinning the issuance of the warrant,” he stated.

According to the Majority Chief Whip, Parliament and Ghanaian authorities are still awaiting formal communication regarding the specific allegations and legal basis for the arrest.

Mr. Dafeamekpor disclosed that the Majority Caucus in Parliament has already engaged legal representation for the detained lawmaker to assist with the ongoing legal proceedings in the Netherlands.

“We have gotten a lawyer for him, a Ghanaian based in Amsterdam who practices in The Hague. He is the one dealing with the legal issues to see what we can do,” he explained.

He further revealed that lawyers handling the matter only recently obtained access to the arrest warrant, which he said was reportedly issued on April 26, 2026.

“The lawyers are just informing me that they have seen the warrant and it was issued on April 26. So even as a sovereign nation, I doubt if we have been informed in any way,” he added.

The South Dayi MP also disclosed that Ghana’s Attorney-General has been requested to provide a legal opinion regarding the implications of the detained MP travelling with a diplomatic passport and how that may affect the legal and diplomatic processes surrounding the case.

According to him, the legal opinion is expected to be shared with Parliament, legal representatives in The Hague and prosecutors involved in the matter.

He explained that although Kwame Ohene Frimpong was reportedly on a private trip, the use of a diplomatic passport introduces additional legal and diplomatic considerations that authorities are currently examining.

“Even though it is a private trip, he is travelling on his diplomatic passport so you know there are implications in terms of the statutes and all of that,” Mr. Dafeamekpor stated.

The Majority Chief Whip also revealed that he participated in a conference call on Tuesday, May 12, involving the detained MP, his lawyers and some constituency officials.

According to him, during the conversation, Mr. Frimpong denied involvement in any activity that could have attracted the attention of United States authorities.

“I asked him that since becoming an MP whether he has done anything so untoward to attract the attention of the American government this way, he said no,” he said.

Mr. Dafeamekpor added that the MP similarly denied involvement in any wrongdoing before entering Parliament.

“And I asked him in his previous life before coming to Parliament and he said no, he had not done anything like that to attract or even be cautioned,” he added.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the case, Mr. Dafeamekpor assured the public that the MP is currently in good condition while legal teams continue to work intensively to determine the next legal steps.

Kwame Ohene Frimpong was reportedly arrested on May 10, 2026, at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The detention was officially confirmed by the Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Djietror, in a statement shared on Facebook on May 12.

“It has come to the attention of Parliament that the Hon. Member for Asante Akyem North Constituency, Mr. Kwame Ohene Frimpong, has been detained at the Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam in the Netherlands,” the statement noted.

The statement further indicated that Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin and the leadership of the House are engaging Ghana’s diplomatic mission in The Hague to obtain detailed information regarding the incident.

The arrest has generated significant public interest and political discussion in Ghana, with many awaiting official clarification from authorities in the Netherlands and the United States concerning the basis for the detention and any possible extradition proceedings.