The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has condemned what it describes as “lawlessness going” on in the country and clear lack of enforcement of the law to deal with it.
The party said similar, “hypocrisy and complicity of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) as an all-time key contributor and actor in the crisis on our hands cannot be ignored.”
In a statement issued by the PPP on Wednesday, the party said, “when the former President, John Mahama granted a pardon to the “Montie Three” we (including the NPP then in opposition) rightly condemned Mahama’s poor judgment.
“And if today, our Attorney-General, after examining the docket has concluded that there was no evidence to prosecute the eight members of Delta force, then we are in serious trouble as a country.”
Their comments follow the release of pro-New Patriotic Party (NPP) Delta Force members who were standing trial for disrupting court proceedings involving 13 of their colleagues on April 6, 2017.
The Kumasi Court on Wednesday freed eight of them following the decision of the prosecution to discontinue the case for lack of evidence
In reaction, the PPP quizzed “we are struggling to understand how a State Attorney could conclude on the lack of evidence when the jailbreak did not take place in a secluded area. What is the extent of the investigation the Ghana Police Service conducted?
“In section 1 of the Ghana Police Service Act, 1970 (Act 350), it is stated, ‘it shall be the duty of the Police Service to prevent and detect crime, to apprehend offenders, and to maintain public order and the safety of persons and property”.
The party promised that under a PPP government, there would be two separate judiciary offices, a Chief State Prosecutor (CSP), nominated by the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) on the advice of the Judicial Council, while Parliament would then approve the Minister of Justice.
It concluded that as Ghanaians, “we credit ourselves with stability in government transition, but we must not be so cocky as to ignore the real threats in front of us.”
Read the statement below:
STATEMENT PRESENTED BY THE PROGRESSIVE PEOPLE’S PARTY (PPP) AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TO ADDRESS THE RELEASE OF THE DELTA 8 ON WEDNESDAY, 18TH MAY 2017 AT THE EASTERN REGIONAL HEAD OFFICE, KOFORIDUA
We have called this press conference in the wake of our re-building tour to express our utter shock, and dismay over the Attorney General’s withdrawal of proceedings against the Delta eight.
We believe that the unruly behavior from these NPP sponsored thugs calling themselves “Delta Force’ ought not to be the reason for feigning an inability to prove guilt before a judge. We condemn in strongest terms the lawlessness going on in our country and the clear lack of enforcement of the law to deal with it. Similarly, the hypocrisy and complicity of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) as an all-time key contributor and actor in the crisis on our hands cannot be ignored.
When the former President, John Mahama granted a pardon to the “Montie Three” we (including the NPP then in opposition) rightly condemned Mahama’s poor judgment. And if today, our Attorney-General, after examining the docket has concluded that there was no evidence to prosecute the eight members of Delta force, then we are in serious trouble as a country.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are struggling to understand how a State Attorney could conclude on the lack of evidence when the jailbreak did not take place in a secluded area. What is the extent of the investigation the Ghana Police Service conducted? In section 1 of the Ghana Police Service Act, 1970 (Act 350), it is stated, “it shall be the duty of the Police Service to prevent and detect crime, to apprehend offenders, and to maintain public order and the safety of persons and property”. Does this mean that the Police Officers, who investigated this case, did not know they are to perform their functions as are by law conferred upon them?
We demand that the Minister of Interior, the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney General take a firm action on those who did this substandard investigation which seeks to undermine the rule of law in Ghana. Where in the world can a vigilante group besiege a court premise and take custody of accused persons in daylight? How could the investigators claim lack of evidence, to enable the Attorney-General file for a nolle prosequi? The world is not going to wait for us; so we need to get serious in this country.
How can our security be guaranteed if it is the belief of the Attorney General that a bad excuse is better than none? Has it not been these same excuses, and the lack of interest from previous Attorney Generals which has led to the State losing millions of Ghana cedis due to judgment debts payments? The invisible hands who are fueling this impunity must bow down their heads in shame.
We wish to reiterate our commitment to institute an effective criminal justice system which will be capable of investigating and adjudicating criminal offenses successfully, through an impartial and non-discriminatory process, free of corruption and improper government influence.
Indeed, we are not oblivious to the fact that in our criminal justice system, the government retains broad discretion as to whom to prosecute. But this does not also mean that we should allow ourselves to be haunted by the stark images of impunity and abuse of power.
We call on the Supreme Court to act forcefully on individuals who have scandalized the court, lowered its authority, and also brought the image of the court into disrepute. We must realize that any attempt to use state power to close the eyes to indiscipline is bound to boomerang with dangerous consequences.
Ladies and gentlemen, you will agree with us that the time for Ghanaians to buy into the PPP’s position for the separation of the Attorney General from the Ministry of Justice is now.
We wish to emphazise that under a PPP government, there would be two separate judiciary offices, a Chief State Prosecutor (CSP), nominated by the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) on the advice of the Judicial Council, while Parliament would then approve the Minister of Justice.
The Chief State Prosecutor would be responsible for the initiation and conduct of all prosecutions of all criminal offences, and we shall ensure that no one institutes any prosecutions in the name of the Republic without the authority of the Chief State Prosecutor.
The Minister of Justice under a PPP administration shall be the minister of state and the principal legal advisor to the government. We believe that our Minister of Justice would discharge such other duties of legal nature as might be referred or assigned to him or her by the President or imposed on that office by the constitution.
We wish to remind Ghanaians, that during the 2016 campaign, we were clear in our minds that real change would only happen if we voted for the PPP and that voting for either of the two would bring chaos. The truth is, we get what we vote for!
The Progressive People’s Party will not condone any act of lawlessness and as a political party; we wish to state unambiguously that the posture by the NPP prosecutor calls for all to rebuke it knowing that our inability to do anything will only allow further evil to triumph.
Conclusion
As Ghanaians, we credit ourselves with stability in government transition, but we must not be so cocky as to ignore the real threats in front of us. There are fissures in our system, cracks that must be addressed, leaks that must be stopped and fully repaired, or we will be surprised by a sudden flood. Let us watch, pray, and act now.
Let us awake to enjoy Prosperity-In-Peace
God save our homeland Ghana and make our Nation Great and Strong!
Thank you
