A 35-year-old man identified as Kojo Mensah has been arrested for attempting to commit suicide in the chamber of Parliament.
The man from Kwesimintim in the Western Region had sat through parliamentary proceedings on Thursday, but just when the Speaker adjourned for the day, he got up from his seat and attempted to jump from the public gallery into the main chamber where the 275 MPs sit.
Our correspondent, Mercydalyne Lokko reported a while ago that the security personnel in the chamber quickly moved in to foil the suicide.
He wore a plaid short-sleeve shirt over a white New Patriotic Party campaign T-shirt for the Member of Parliament for Kwesimintim, Joseph Mensah.
Kojo Mensah was initially taken to the Police post at Parliament House for interrogation but was later transferred to the Ministries Police Station.
“I will kill myself, I will kill myself….I want to speak to my MP, Mr Joseph Mensah, Mr Joseph Mensah, MP for Kwesimintim…,” he shouted while being dragged out of the chamber.
Outside the chamber, he kept screaming, saying “I want to speak with Mr President…I want to speak with Nana Akufo-Addo the Excellency…”
The Police are yet to give details on the incident.
“It’s a criminal case that is being handled by the Police. Details can only be given by the Ministries Police,” the commander at the Parliamentary Protection Unit, Superintendent Freeman Tettey told journalists.
What happened?
Our correspondent who witnessed the episode at about 1:25pm said while the Speaker was leaving the floor of the House, the man rose from his seat in the foyer and raised one leg over the coping in a bid to jump.
By Stephen Kwabena Effah|3news.com|Ghana