The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has criticized the decision to release eight members of pro New Patriotic Party (NPP) vigilante group, Delta Force who were standing trail for allegedly storming a Kumasi Circuit Court and freeing other members of the group who were also standing trial for a separate offence.
The after the Principal State Attorney in the case, Marie Louise-Simmons, who is the representation of the Attorney General, Gloria Akuffo indicated that the charges against the suspects must be dropped because there was insufficient evidence against them.
But the GBA in a statement signed by the National President of GBA, Benson Nutsukpui stated that “justice will not be served if the discharge of the accused person ends the matter.”
While emphasizing the need for the Police Service to “interview court officials, lawyers and litigants who were in court on the day in order to bring the perpetrators to justice, ” the GBA also tasked the Police Service to “thoroughly investigate the case.”
The statement from the GBA is below
GHANA BAR ASSOCIATION’S STATEMENT ON THE DISCHARGE OF EIGHT ACCUSED PERSONS (DELTA FORCE) BY THE CIRCUIT COURT KUMASI
The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has noted with disquiet the discharge of eight persons by the circuit court Kumasi on 17th May 2017 supposedly on the advice of the Attorney General’s Department
The GBA is disturbed by the turn of events and hopes that the discharge of the said accused persons would not signify an end of the matter.
It is the view of the GBA that justice will not be served if the discharge of the accused persons ends the matter.
The Bar calls upon the Ghana Police Service to thoroughly investigate the matter in its entirety. We call upon the police to interview the court officials, lawyers and litigants who were in court on the day in order to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The GBA reiterates its call in the statement it issued on 6th April 2017 to ensure that all persons who played any role whatsoever in the attack on the court are arrested, duly charged and prosecuted.
Finally we wish to state that it is a threat to the Rule of Law if the impression is created that persons who engage in lawless acts can escape the arm of the law.
ISSUED IN ACCRA, THIS 18TH DAY OF MAY 2017
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