Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate for Awutu Senya East, has been released from police custody following her arrest and detention on Friday, June 7. The incident has sparked widespread condemnation from key NDC figures and supporters.
Former President and NDC flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, led the outcry, demanding Okunor’s immediate release to maintain national stability. Sammy Gyamfi, the NDC’s National Communications Officer, also urged party members to protest at the Cantonments Police Station, where demonstrators gathered, dressed in the party’s colors and chanting slogans in support of Okunor.
In a statement, Mahama accused Inspector General of Police, George Dampare, and National Security Minister, Albert Kan Dapaah, of orchestrating Okunor’s arrest to intimidate her in her campaign against the incumbent Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Hawa Koomson, in the upcoming elections.
The controversy began on Sunday, June 2, 2024, when the Ghana Police Service announced the arrest of three individuals, including Okunor, for possession of a firearm without lawful authority. The suspects were apprehended in a Honda CRV near the Electoral Commission Office at Ofaakor. A pump-action gun with four rounds of ammunition was found in the vehicle.
However, Okunor, in an interview on Wednesday, June 5, refuted claims of her formal arrest, stating that she was only invited to the police station. She asserted that the firearm found was legally licensed and intended for her protection against attacks by the incumbent MP, Hawa Koomson. Okunor alleged past incidents where Koomson had attacked her, including instances of gunfire.
“I have never been arrested. Yes, I was invited to the police station. I was not arrested. I was there because I had to go there. My driver was arrested, and my security guard was arrested because a licensed gun was found in my car…It was far away from the registration centre,” Okunor clarified.
The situation is further complicated by a violent clash between NDC and NPP supporters at the Electoral Commission’s office at Ofaakor, which resulted in the stabbing and hospitalization of Ato Koomson, son of the incumbent MP. The suspect in the stabbing incident has also been arrested and detained.
While it remains unclear whether Okunor’s arrest is directly connected to the stabbing incident or solely related to the firearm possession, the tension between the NDC and NPP in Awutu Senya East continues to escalate.
Sammy Gyamfi confirmed Okunor’s release to The Herald newspaper, though details of her detention and any potential charges remain undisclosed.
