The Office of the Attorney General (A-G) is reviewing the assault case involving Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin for prosecutorial assessment and decision, according to Deputy AG Justice Srem Sai. Justice Srem Sai made this revelation on his official Facebook page on Friday, November 7.

“I can confirm that the docket on the case — The Republic v. Alexander Afenyo-Markin is at the Office of the Attorney-General awaiting prosecutorial review and decision. The case involves a complaint of assault,” he wrote.

The incident in question dates back to May, when Alexander Afenyo-Markin was seen assaulting a police officer during the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) #SaveTheJudiciary demonstration. In a video shared on X (formerly Twitter) by @Popony_J, a group of police officers had created a barricade at the entrance of Parliament House to prevent protesters from entering the forecourt.

Afenyo-Markin, along with Director of Communications for the NPP Richard Ahiagbah, was among the protesters blocked by police. The Minority Leader appeared visibly upset and struck one of the officers on the head. While the reason for his actions has not been officially explained, it is believed that the Effutu MP may have been frustrated at being denied entry, as he was expected to deliver a petition to the Judiciary Service.

Tempers flared as the Minority Leader, Hon. Afenyo-Markin, was nearly denied entry into the forecourt of Parliament House for the presentation of a second petition to the Speaker.

The NPP led the #SaveTheJudiciary demonstration in response to President John Mahama’s suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo. The purpose of the protest was to defend judicial independence and push back against what participants described as executive interference in the judiciary.

The demonstration saw participation from several allied political parties, including the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), the National Democratic Party (NDP), the People’s National Party (PNP), and the Ghana Union Movement (GUM). The protest began at 5:00 a.m. with participants assembling at a park opposite the Supreme Court before marching through Accra and ending at Jubilee House, where they presented their petition.

Following the clash between Afenyo-Markin and the police, the Ghana Police Service, in a statement dated May 8, 2025, directed the Minority Leader to present himself to assist with investigations into the incident.

The Ghana Police Service confirmed that the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) had opened an inquiry into allegations that the Effutu MP assaulted a uniformed officer at the entrance to Parliament House. This followed a formal request submitted by the CID to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, who instructed Mr. Afenyo-Markin to cooperate with law enforcement officials.

In compliance with the Speaker’s directive, the Minority Leader appeared before the police on Wednesday, May 7, to provide his version of events. Later, police disclosed that a second investigation was underway based on a counter-complaint filed by Mr. Afenyo-Markin himself. According to the MP, he was not the aggressor but the victim of assault by the same officer involved.

Detailing the incident, Mr. Afenyo-Markin stated that while leading protesters to Parliament to submit a petition calling for stronger judicial independence, he was unexpectedly attacked by an officer identified as Constable Forson.

“The blow left me momentarily dazed and struggling to breathe,” he recounted. He added that he was quickly assisted by parliamentary security personnel and demonstrators nearby and was taken to a rest area before continuing with the petition presentation.

Reacting to the incident, the Chairman of the NPP in Bortianor Ngleshie Amanfro, Bright Ofori Ampofo, defended Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin regarding the events at the #SaveTheJudiciary protest.

Mr. Ampofo explained that Afenyo-Markin was forced to react after a police officer struck him during the demonstration. However, Ampofo maintains that the lawmaker’s conduct was a response to provocation.

He said, “Just when we were about to pass the barricade, this police officer rushed towards him, crouched, and punched him [Afenyo-Markin] in the chest.”

Mr. Ampofo emphasized the severity of the blow, stating that it was so intense that Afenyo-Markin nearly lost consciousness. “The honourable member almost passed out. We had to escort him to the entrance of Parliament where we gave him some water to help him recover. This caused a delay in presenting the petition for about 30 minutes,” he explained.

He further shared that Afenyo-Markin complained of dizziness after the incident and needed a brief rest before continuing with the protest. Mr. Ampofo noted that the Minority Leader was upset, saying that his security was inadequate. “He was even angry with us because he said we didn’t provide him enough security,” Ampofo remarked.

Mr. Ampofo also questioned the officer’s potential political ties, suggesting the attack may have been politically motivated. “I’m certain he’s an NDC police officer. Why would someone hit a prominent figure like Honourable Afenyo-Markin on the grounds of Parliament, his own turf?” Ampofo asked.

He concluded that Afenyo-Markin’s actions were purely in self-defense. “He was trying to protect himself. He thought another blow might follow, so he was attempting to shield himself, and we quickly got him out of the situation,” he said.

Seeking justice, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, was officially petitioned by Afenyo-Markin to investigate the alleged assault by Constable Forson during the #SaveTheJudiciary protest. In the petition, Mr. Afenyo-Markin described the officer as “a tall, fair, and heavily built officer” stationed at the entrance of Parliament House to provide security during the protest. He alleged that the officer physically assaulted him at the parliamentary gate, calling for swift disciplinary measures.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police revealed that it found no evidence to support the claim made by the Minority Leader that he was assaulted by the police officer.

In a statement, the CID emphasized: “The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has forwarded the docket on the alleged assault of a police officer by the Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin to the Attorney-General, noting the MP’s failure to provide a medical report.”