Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has urged the government to sustain its engagement with US authorities until those responsible for the death of 15-year-old Ghanaian boy, Javits Frimpong, are brought before a court to face justice.
Javits was fatally shot in the abdomen on Thursday, October 29, 2026, while walking to school in the Bronx, New York. He was reportedly taken to St Barnabas Hospital, where he later died.
The teenager had moved from Ghana to the United States in 2025 to join his father, Thomas Frimpong, and was a student at DreamYard Preparatory School.
His father had earlier raised concerns about alleged bullying at the school, claiming that two students had been suspended following incidents involving his son. However, authorities had not established any connection between the reported bullying and the fatal shooting.
The killing prompted condemnation from Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while officials from Ghana’s Permanent Mission in New York visited the bereaved family and assured them of the government’s support.
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, November 3, during the First Sitting of the Third Meeting of the Second Session, Mr Afenyo-Markin acknowledged the government’s initial response but insisted that condolences and diplomatic visits must be followed by sustained action to secure justice.
“We acknowledge that the Foreign Ministry has spoken. We know that our Permanent Mission in New York has visited a family. That is right and proper. And we, the Minority, acknowledge that. But condolences are not a policy. Justice is and must be,” he said.
He urged Ghana’s diplomatic mission not to allow the case to lose momentum once public attention shifts elsewhere.
“Do not let the cameras leave and the case go cold. Sustain your cooperation with the American authorities. Not for a week, but until the proper responsible stand before a court to face justice,” he said.
Mr Afenyo-Markin called on the government to assign a dedicated officer to work with the New York Police Department and prosecutors in the Bronx to ensure continued engagement on the case.
He also urged the government to provide practical assistance to Javits’ family, including legal and consular support, as well as help with bringing the teenager’s body back to Ghana for burial, if the family wished.
He further called for regular updates to Parliament so the House and the wider public would know the status of investigations and efforts to secure accountability.
Turning to child safety in Ghana, the Minority Leader also raised concerns about reported sexual abuse allegations involving students of Obuasi Senior High Technical School.
He said 19 girls had reportedly come forward with allegations against the school’s headmaster, who has since been suspended.
Mr Afenyo-Markin stressed that the allegations remained under investigation and cautioned against reaching conclusions before the process was completed.
“I will not pronounce guilt. That is not the work of this House,” he said.
