The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has condemned Accra Mayor, Alfred Vanderpuije for allegedly shooting at the tyres of a vehicle belonging to one of their members.
A few months ago, Mr. Vanderpuije was reported to have ordered his bodyguard to shoot the tyres of a wine-coloured Pontiac Vibe car which he claimed was tailgating his convoy.
The incident was said to have taken place in front of the Mantse Agbonaa Park in Jamestown, Accra, in broad daylight.
[contextly_sidebar id=”jyY96g9Jj1Sf1nGu0rdHhaWsLVrrc1VM”]According to the GBA, the action of the Mayor was an abuse of power and must be condemned by all.
Speaking at the 33rd Martyrs’ Day commemoration, president of the GBA, Nene Abayete Amegatse said people in authority must respect the rule of law.
“The Mayor was weaving through traffic with a siren when he is not the President, Vice President, Speaker of Parliament or the Chief Justice,” he added, “Leadership in this country is yet to come to terms with the fact that everybody – the rich, poor, government and the governed are all subject to the same law and equal before the law.”
At the time the Mayor denied the accusation saying, “there was a driver who was tailgating and I asked him [Police Officer] to tell the driver not to do so…and my vehicle had moved on.”
“I was in my vehicle with my Coordinating Director having a discussion on city issues, but for a minute, I asked myself why the officer had taken so long. The traffic was moving and we had to move,” he had said.
The Mayor had continued, “when I looked back, I realized that there was a squabble between my officer and the driver. I wasn’t even at the scene and I hadn’t ordered him to shoot or anything so whatever led to his shooting will be investigated because it is a Police matter.”
By: Selassie A. Amissah Mensah /citifmonline.com/Ghana