A former Deputy Attorney General, Dr Dominic Ayine, has condemned the recent clashes between protesters and the police, describing the physical altercations as unacceptable and counterproductive.
His comments come after reports surfaced of protesters engaging in fisticuffs with law enforcement during a demonstration organised by the Democracy Hub, leading to arrests and subsequent detention.
Speaking in an interview with TV3 on Saturday, September, 28, Dr Ayine emphasised that while the right to protest is protected under the constitution, violence should never be a part of such activities.
He stressed that peaceful demonstrations are an essential part of democracy, but the actions of some protesters who resorted to violence undermine the cause they are advocating for.
According to him, such behaviour only escalates tensions and complicates the relationship between citizens and law enforcement.
The clashes occurred during a three-day protest aimed at pressuring the government to address concerns about corruption, mismanagement, and illegal mining.
The event, which saw the arrest of 53 protesters, quickly turned confrontational, leading to physical confrontations between some demonstrators and police officers.
Dr Ayine expressed regret over the incident and called for more constructive ways of expressing grievances.
“The blocking of traffic is something that is condemnable, the attempt to engage in fisticuffs with police is something that we should condemn. Having said that, I do not think that the activities they engaged in are sufficient reasons you say they should be detained without bail. That is where my concern is where.”
“The denial of bail in this case is tantamount to punishing them, it is tantamount to judicial abuse of the rights of the citizens,” he said.