Human rights lawyer and Member of Parliament for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu, has announced his intention to appeal the five-year prison sentence handed to Christopher Kofi Kyere Sorkpa. Sorkpa was convicted for vandalizing cars at the premises of Parliament with an axe, an incident that occurred on December 18, 2024.

In a statement shared on X, Sosu questioned the mental state of someone who would commit such an act and emphasized the need for a medical evaluation before prosecution. “How can someone in his right senses walk to Parliament and decide to smash windows of cars because he claimed ‘God asked him to do so?’ Such a person, when arrested, should first have been medically examined to ascertain his mental state before being arraigned before court,” Sosu wrote.

Drawing comparisons to a 2015 case involving Charles Antwi, who was sentenced to ten years in prison after entering a church with a gun where then-President John Mahama was worshipping, Sosu highlighted similar concerns. He noted that individuals with potential mental health issues require proper assessments to ensure fair judicial proceedings.

Sorkpa, 33, was charged with six counts, including conspiracy to commit unlawful damage, and pleaded guilty to all charges. The presiding judge relied on his guilty plea to sentence him to five years imprisonment. However, Sosu raised concerns about the absence of legal representation and the possibility that Sorkpa was mentally unfit at the time of his plea. “A person who is not compos mentis cannot plead to an offence, much less plead guilty. This is more so when he did not have any lawyer in court,” Sosu stated.

The MP further criticized the justice system, labeling the case as another failure to protect the rights of vulnerable individuals. He explained that his decision to appeal is driven by public interest and the need to advocate for fair judicial processes.

See the post below..

This matter is similar to what happened sometime in 2015 involving one Charles Antwi. How can someone in his right senses walk to parliament and decide to smash windows of cars because he claimed “God asked him to do so?"

Such a person when arrested was first to have been… pic.twitter.com/crMLiIU1GW

— Francis-Xavier Sosu (@fx_sosu) December 23, 2024