Lawyer and Director of Legal Affairs for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Gary Nimako Marfo, has stated that, the organisers of the #OccupyJulorbiHouse protest, Democracy Hub must respect the law.
Speaking in an interview on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, he said the organisers should not have carried on with the protest after the police had served them with the injunction process.
He noted that proceeding with the protest after the injunction is a violation of the law [contempt].
According to him, although the law permits the holding of demonstrations, there are also other bodies that regulate how the demonstrations must be done.
“I would not sit here and say that anybody has been manhandled and so I am endorsing it. No. My concern is that the organisers also ought to respect the law. Because I don’t understand why if an application has been served on you seeking to halt the activity, you go on with that activity,” he told Samson Lardy Anyenini.
He added that the protesters complaining of manhandling by the police should lodge a complaint to the police noting that nothing of such nature has been done so far.
Meanwhile, organisers of the protest – Democracy Hub says they have not been served any court process by the Ghana Police Service, contrary to suggestions by the Service.
According to the organisers, “the Ghana Police Service has not served us with any application and we are unaware of what exactly the police application is about.”
The Ghana Police Service on Wednesday claimed that it had filed an application at the court and successfully served organisers (Democracy Hub) through their lawyers, in connection with their planned demonstration to picket the seat of government, the Jubilee House from Thursday 21st to Saturday 23rd September, 2023.
They therefore carried on their three-day protest which began on Thursday, leading to the arrest of 49 protesters including journalists.
Mr Nimako insists that the organisers were served, adding that “the proof of service is here and I have seen it.”
“We all know that when your clerk or your secretary is served in your chambers, it is as good as the service being effected on you personally,” he added.
But the Tamale Central MP, Inusah Fuseini who was on the show, disagreed with Gary Nimako that the protest organizers can be held for contempt under the circumstances of this protest.
Meanwhile, the 3-day protest continued after those arrested were charged by the police.
On Friday for instance, the protestors defied heavy rains and massed up on the road in front of the 37 Military Hospital in Accra in their unrelenting quest to witness a transformed country.
Their calls, in the face of riot control police, grew louder for several hours.
Though their attempt to take their concerns all the way to the Jubilee House was thwarted by the police, their enthusiasm remained visible.
They chanted various songs, including the national anthem, and also took turns to express their grievances.