That’s the explanation from the District Police Chief for the area, Guy Raymond, who spoke on Eyewitness News.

[contextly_sidebar id=”FDMUqDKKPKNB2A7Q9CGpJaVVJKbZ5pMg”]He has however assured that the culprits will definitely be brought to book soon.

Explaining why the suspects were not arrested on the spot, Mr. Raymond said: “In situations of this nature, you do not rush in making arrests. You may end up escalating the issue, so it will take time for us to know what to do. Looking at the situation at the time, we had to use our discretion and the best option was to invite the leadership and see the way forward.”

“It is not a lawful conduct. That is why we are pursuing the matter. We are still investigating, and the perpetrators will be brought to book,” Mr. Raymond added.

Some rampaging youth believed to be sympathizers of the NPP stormed the precincts of the Assembly and locked up the District Chief Executive, Mohammed Bakor in his office.

They have accused the DCE of engaging in “divide and rule” tactics, and failing to address their concerns.

It took the intervention of the police to free the DCE.

An eyewitness, who spoke to Citi News, said the youth came around 11:30am on Thursday, “chanting that they don’t want him again, and that there is smuggling in the district and all those things.”

Police in Karaga in the Northern Region also failed to arrest suspects who invaded a police station, and freed some NPP members who were in police custody.

The Public Relations Officer of the Northern Regional Police Command, ASP Yusif Tanko, explained that the “volatile” nature of the incident did not allow for immediate arrests.

“The situation was very volatile and the number of rampaging youth was high, so if it happens like that you have to decide whether you will bring the situation under control and arrest or bring the situation under control and later make the arrest, but in our situation we thought bringing the situation under control first was the best.”

“We have not made any arrests yet, but Karaga is very calm and we are assuring you that we will take decisive action at Karaga,” he added.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

The post Sissala tension didn’t allow us to arrest NPP youth – Police appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to CDD-Ghana, the verdict is also a setback to efforts put in place to promote decency in Ghana’s politics.

“The verdict in the case of the ‘Delta Thirteen’ may be pleasing to NPP-affiliated organs and their supporters. However, the outcome of the verdict can only foster impunity, undermine the rule of law and reinforce a dangerously negative political culture. This development has dealt another devastating blow to the keen desire of many Ghanaians for justice and the rule of law,” CDD said in a statement.

13 Delta Force members fined GHc1,800 each

[contextly_sidebar id=”ngxaqAFtfyzuO3sluTLZlQP4EKOyVbFF”]A court in Kumasi in the Asanti Region last week, fined the 13 Delta Force members GHc1,800.

They were facing trial on counts of conspiracy to commit crimes and rioting, after they were captured in a video manhandling the  Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, George Adjei.

According to the Center, the amount was a ‘slap-on-the-wrist’, and may go to encourage many political hooligans to perpetuate crime in the country.

“The ‘slap-on-the-wrist’ punishment given to a group of ruling party-affiliated criminal suspects only reinforces the unfortunate impression that incumbent party members and affiliates who break the law can count on the protection of the powers that be, and would not face the full rigors of the law,” CDD added in the statement.

Control vigilante groups now else…

The Head of Programs at the CDD, Kojo Asante, who further spoke on the matter on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, called on government to curb the menace of vigilante groups in the country immediately, before they get out of hand.

“You cannot convince the ordinary man on the street that this is justice; because just as you are doing this, there are people that have been jailed for owing someone GHc200. So you cannot create this kind of reality in society and expect that law and order will be respected.”

“This is a high profile case and it was completely bungled. I really think that if we don’t draw a line, we will really get to a point that you can’t really control them [vigilante groups] because there are many of them out there,” he added.

Read the CDD’s full statement below:

CDD-Ghana Statement on the Delta Force Verdict

The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) is deeply disappointed with the conclusion to the seven-month long case involving the thirteen members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)-affiliated political vigilante group, the Delta Force.

On Thursday, October 19 2017, the Asokwa Circuit Court in Kumasi in the Ashanti region imposed a fine of GH¢ 1,800 on each of the accused, or in default, serve a 12-month jail term, after they pleaded guilty to a substituted misdemeanor charge of “Conspiracy to Commit a Crime by Rioting”.

Ghanaians will recall that in March of this year, members of the Delta Force, displeased with the appointment of the Ashanti Region Security Coordinator, Mr. George Adjei, forcibly entered his office and physically assaulted him. A video of the incident was widely circulated on social media.

The police arrested twenty suspects and arraigned them before the Kumasi Circuit Court but only thirteen showed up. In addition, the President, Inspector General of Police and Interior Minister assured Ghanaians that such impunity and lawlessness would not be allowed under their watch.

The case against the suspects was aggravated by the brazen show of wanton disregard for law and order on the day of their Court appearance when members of the Delta Forces stormed the Court, verbally assaulted the presiding Judge and forcibly freed the suspects – in the full glare of state security officials.

Subsequently, only token fines were awarded against the freed suspects; another eight suspects who were involved in the violence at the Court were discharged for lack of evidence. While CDD-Ghana acknowledges that the process leading to the verdict followed the rule of law, it is also saddened by the leniency of the judgment.

Considering that activities of political party vigilante groups are still rife, this verdict represents a setback in efforts to promote decency in politics. What is more disturbing with this case is continuous failure of institutions in the criminal justice system to professionally discharge their constitutional duty in order to preserve the integrity of the state and uphold the standards of what is right and wrong in our society.

For instance, with all the intelligence they possessed, the security agencies could have averted the invasion by providing necessary protection for the Coordinator. Similarly, if the security agencies had learned from the first incident, and provided the necessary security at the courthouse, knowing the group in question the gross interference with the cause of justice could have been avoided.

The bungling of such a high profile case by institutions in the criminal justice system can only further undermine trust of the justice system and violates the fundamental rights of Ghanaians that everyone is equal before the law.

The verdict in the case of the ‘Delta Thirteen’ may be pleasing to NPP-affiliated organs and their supporters. However, the outcome of the verdict can only foster impunity, undermine the rule of law and reinforce a dangerously negative political culture. This development has dealt another devastating blow to the keen desire of many Ghanaians for justice and the rule of law.

The ‘slap-on-the-wrist’ punishment given to a group of ruling party-affiliated criminal suspects only reinforces the unfortunate impression that incumbent party members and affiliates who break the law can count on the protection of the powers that be, and would not face the full rigors of the law.

Indeed, it is also a major victory for a baneful phenomenon in Ghanaian politics: political vigilantism and hooliganism – which the Center and other civil society actors have flagged as posing a mortal danger to democratic politics and national peace.

Finally, CDD-Ghana hopes that all stakeholders interested in improving and sustaining democratic governance in Ghana heed the call to action to find a lasting solution to the problem of political vigilantism. And that the institutions of the criminal justice system will act to honor the letter and spirit of the Constitution, and as well serve a notice of deterrence should similar incidents occur in the future.

–

By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post ‘Lenient’ Delta Force sentence to breed lawlessness – CDD Ghana appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

A group of Delta Force members numbering more than 20 vandalized some notice boards and furniture belonging to the court, and freed the 13 who were remanded for earlier disturbances at the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council.

[contextly_sidebar id=”3ksI79Qi70P5t3DlAZvGNMDxlDADbfmx”]The 13  were detained in connection with the group’s raiding of the Regional Coordinating Council on March 24, 2017, where they were alleged to have assaulted the newly appointed Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, George Adjei, who they said they could not work with.

Confirming the latest arrest to Citi News, the Ashanti Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Yaw Nketiah-Yeboah, said”the 13 accused persons of the Delta Force members appeared before the Kumasi Metrpolitan Asembly KMA in court presided over by her Lordship, Mary Senkyire. They were remanded into prison custody to reappear before the court on April 20, 2017.

“Their lawyers pleaded for bail, but that was declined by the sitting Circuit Court Judge. Their supporters on hearing this, moved to the court premises, and in the process, all the 13 accused persons, escaped through the back door used only by the Judge. A bench warrant has therefore been issued for their arrest.”

Meanwhile, eight (8) persons suspected to have aided their escape from the court premises, have also been arrested and are presently in police custody.

The Interior Ministry has asked the culprits to report themselves to the Police or face their wrath.

In all of these developments, the Police Administration is refuting allegations they have lost the fight against political violence.

According to the Police, some important arrests have been made to curb the violence orchestrated by some vigilante groups affiliated to the NPP.

The Director of Public Affairs of the Police Service, Supt Cephas Arthur, who made this claim, also ruled out political interference in their investigations in the reported political violence cases.

“We have not lost control. We think we are making some progress. In the wake of the kind of dialogue we had with the parties regarding the political vigilantism, we think that our call fell on good ears. Apart from these isolated cases of late, the activities affiliated with these known vigilante groups have been on the quiet for sometime now.”

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By: Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Bench warrant issued for runaway Delta Force members appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

A secret recording released by British newspaper The Daily Telegraph and Channel 4 appeared to show GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi agreeing to a proposal from investigators posing as agents to arrange friendly matches for the Black Stars.

The Daily Telegraph and Channel 4 claim that the GFA president had agreed to the contract, which included a clause indicating the agents “will appoint and pay for the cost of the referees/match officials in consultation with an agreement with FIFA member associations(s)”.

Nyantakyi has since denied even reading the proposal from the agents.

Mr. Odotei, speaking to Citi News says government must probe the allegations, and that, further delay could jeopardize Ghana’s image and integrity internationally.

He believes that, “as a matter of urgency the government must issue a statement” on the issue.

He added that the government “should, through the British Commission or Channel 4 directly, get the documents, videos, everything that they have, for them to evaluate.”

He stated that if government suspected any wrong doing after their initial investigations, it should issue warrants for the arrest of the GFA officials implicated in the story.

By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Gov’t must investigate match fixing allegations – Sowah Odotei appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.