A group that is seeking justice for slain military man, Major Maxwell Adam Mahama ,will hold a peaceful procession today to emphasize its call for justice for the deceased.
The group, made up of old university mates, friends and acquaintances of both the late Captain Mahama and his widow, Barbara, will march from Obra Spot at Circle to the Parliament House, to present a petition to the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye.
A copy of the petition will also be delivered to the Chief of Staff , Attorney General, Inspector General of Police and the Minister for the Interior.
According to the group, Major Mahama’s death “must not be in vain”.
It is among other things calling for a mass sensitization program to be led by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) to disabuse the minds of Ghanaians on mob action.
The late Major Mahama was a victim of mob action after he was wrongfully lynched and burnt by some residents of Denkyira-Obuasi in the Central Region on suspicion that he was an armed robber.
Read excerpts of the group’s statement below:
Our mission is simple and it is to demand that justice be served in its most pristine and uncompromising form to our friend, and his family and the thousands of families that have suffered any form of loss due to Mob Violence. We wish to also advocate for clear strategies and action plans on tackling the evil of mob violence and to ensure no child loses his father or mother to this brutal form of injustice.
In the past few days, this nation has seen the most profound outpour of furious indignation, shock, and sorrow at the death of our late friend and Brother Maxwell. Don’t get it wrong, we are not doing this because it is our friend and brother who has been taken but it is because enough is enough – if this does not stop, it could be me or even you who loses his or her life or that of a family member or a friend.
As a nation, we pride ourselves as being a hospitable people, a godly and civilized nation; we pride ourselves in our national motto, Freedom and Justice, but, there cannot be freedom or justice in a land where you cannot walk the streets without fearing the scream of thief or Julor as Ga’s will say from one man or woman which could mark your death.
There cannot be freedom and justice in a land where the word of one man or woman could lead to your execution without trial or a chance to speak in your own defense; there cannot be freedom and justice in a land where the rule of law is pushed aside and sentiments, vain superstition, and outrage serve as the measure of justice; there cannot be freedom and justice in a land where the people do not have faith or confidence in the police to protect them or enforce the law; I dare say there cannot be freedom and justice in a land where there is no confidence in the court to deliver justice.
This cannot be a land of Freedom and Justice if our own friend, brother, son, father, and husband can be lynched to death in this manner.
Mother, father, brother, sister, cousin, niece, nephew, anyone who hears my voice this moment, pause for a moment, think about the wife and two young children of the late Captain Mahama, think about their pain, sorrow, loss and the vacuum this dastardly act has caused them; think about all the families that have lost loved ones whether guilty or innocent to mob justice; think about your safety.
We will not pretend the killing of our friend is the first time someone has been lynched in this country – No, we won’t!
On January 2nd this year, a man suspected to be an armed robber was lynched at Nuaso Odjadomya in Odumase Krobo District; on January 19th, a man suspected of stealing a donkey was lynched at Gabisi near Bolgatanga; on February 1st, a suspected thief was lynched in Zaare also near Bolgatanga; on March 16th , a suspected thief in his 20s was lynched at Community 4 in Tema and later tied to an electricity pole in a morbid display of callousness; on April 28, a suspected thief was lynched in Wassa Akropong; on May 12th, a suspected armed robber in his 30s was lynched at Kasoa here in the Central Region; on May 15, a suspected armed robber was lynched at Fetteh Kakraba in the Gomoa East District of the Central Region; on Monday, May 29th, exactly one week today, our brother was rounded up, stoned like a common criminal – he was beaten with clubs like a snake, he was stripped of his dignity in the full glare of this world, and as if it was enough they torched him in a morbid determination to wipe him off this earth.
Many innocent people have lost their lives to mob violence. The practice is terrible and alien to our culture, but has slowly infiltrated many facets of this society so much so that, it is seen as the best form of Justice even though it is the gravest form of injustice. There is a dark cloud of lawlessness hovering above this nation. This must not be allowed to become the norm. We, the people, must rise up and push back. We must fight against mob justice or instant justice or whatever ever else it is called.
I get worried these days when I walk our streets always looking over my shoulders, mounting the most innocent of looks so nobody will accost me for anything and get me lynched on some mere allegation.
On Friday, the 9th of June, 2017, our friend and brother Captain Mahama will be laid to rest, and the next day, Saturday, 10th June, 2017 we will continue this fight; his death shall not be in vain neither will his memory. We will be marching from the from Obra Spot at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle to the Parliament House where a petition shall be presented to the Chief of Staff and Speaker of Parliament, and copies served on the Attorney General, the Inspector General of Police and the Minister for the Interior.
The petition would among other things, reiterate the call for justice for captain Mahama, advocate for clear legislation to tackle the evil of mob justice, call on the police to be proactive in dealing with such cases, demand that the NCCE and other institutions lead a massive campaign to reengineer the psyche of Ghanaians to shun mob violence.
We call on all Ghanaians, friends, family, various groups, and associations to come on board and support this cause in any way they can.
Mob Justice is No Justice, Say no to it, don’t encourage it or condone it, speak up against it, be safe.
God Bless this nation; God bless us all and keep us safe. Thank you.
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)
