The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) is calling for stiff punishment for persons whose actions led to the release of eight members of vigilante group, Delta Force, who raided a Kumasi court.
According to the PPP, the actions of such persons undermined the rule of law in Ghana hence must not go unpunished.
“We demand that the Minister of Interior, IGP and the Attorney General bring their staff that did this substandard job to face the full rigours of the law. We recommend a firm action be taken to be taken on people involved in undermining the rule of law in Ghana,” the National Chairman of the PPP, Nii Allotey Brew Hammond said.
Addressing the press at the party’s Eastern Regional head office at Koforidua on Thursday Brew Hammond further called on the president and the Attorney General to revisit the case to restore the public’s confidence and trust in the judiciary.
“We are struggling to believe how a State Attorney could arrive at such a conclusion when the jail break did not take place in a secluded area. Where in the world can a vigilante group besiege a court premise and take custody of accused persons in day light for investigators not to have evidence and the Attorney General to filed nolle prosequi in the court. The world is not going to wait for us so we need to get serious in this country.”
The PPP chairman also called on the Supreme Court to act on the issue.
“We call on the Supreme Court to act forcefully for scandalising the court, defying and lowering the authority of the court and bringing the court into disrepute. This should not be tolerated,” he added.
Background
The eight Delta Force members were standing trial for vandalising a Kumasi court and in the process setting free some of their members who were charged for assaulting the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator.
The Principal State Attorney in the case, Marie Louise-Simmons, who is the representation of the Attorney General, Gloria Akuffo, in her reply to a letter from the prosecutor for her legal opinion on the case, said the charges against the suspects must be dropped because there was insufficient evidence against them.
The court, presided over by Her Honour, Patricia Amponsah, subsequently discharged the accused and dismissed the case.
Condemnation
Meanwhile, government has been criticized over the release of members of the Delta Force.
The Minority in Parliament has earlier called on government to re-arrest the eight persons who were freed describing the release as a travesty of justice.