Dr Kwame Asiedu Sarpong, a fellow of CDD-GHANA, has criticized the Ghana Police Service for their actions towards demonstrators of #OccupyJulorbiHouse.
In an interview with Milli Grace Safo Adu, the host of Bresosem at Abusuafm, he asserted that, “The police did not act properly, and their actions were excessive”.
Insisting the protestors were doing the right and legal thing, he argued that seeking an application for injunction was not an order, especially when the court had not granted the application from the police.
He further criticized the IGP for saying he hasn’t seen the molestation orchestrated by police against the protestors.
“If Dampare says that people being molested have not been brought to his attention, he may be speaking the truth. However, policing is not solely dependent on people reporting incidents to you”.
Dr Sarpong argued that, that statement from the IGP is totally incorrect, the police have a cyber unit, and it’s their job to trace all these molestations.
He further stated that the police were behaving the way they did because they are afraid there could be a national demonstration if they allowed such a demonstration to happen.
“Looking at things on social media, the way celebrities are joining there could be national demonstration, the police have given the demonstration more energy than they deserve”.
he argued that the police could have come up with a better alternative to negotiate with the protestors.
“They could have allowed them to demonstrate on the first day, and the second day it ends there. The police were not smart enough, arguing with the demonstrators that you won’t allow the protests to happen, they have their way, and then you arrest them for participating in a peaceful demonstration. “
We have heard that the IGP ordered the release of the 49 protestors. My question is, where was the IGP when they were being arrested”, he quizzed.
He also questioned the police’s statement that Jubilee House is a security zone, stating that during the regime of Former President Mahama, they had OccupyFlagstaff Demo,
“So, when did the seat of Presidency become a security zone? Are the police implying that whenever John Mahama is in power, the Jubilee House is not considered a security zone, but under Akuffo Addo it is? We should not allow our police service to chop and change regulations. Are we suggesting that Ghanaians were not concerned about John Mahama’s security”, he stressed.
Source: Kwadwo Owusu
