Mr David Asante-Apeatu, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has hinted that the 13 suspects of the group calling itself “Delta Force,” a vigilante body that were assisted to escaped from lawful custody from the KMA court where they were facing trial for allegedly assaulting a public officer, would be slapped with more charges.
Drama unfolded at the court premises last Thursday when about eight well-built young men in the company of other members of the group , numbering about 50, invaded the court room aiding the escape of 13 suspects amidst hurling insults at the presiding judge, after they had been ordered by the court to go on remand.
The eight person said to have led the rescue operation and the 13 suspects are all in the grips of the police after a bench warrant had been issued for re-arrest.
The IGP who was speaking to the media in Kumasi today was in the city to assess the situation which had attracted intense public condemnation mentioned the other charges as “ escaping from lawful custody, “ a criminal offence under Section 226 (c) of the criminal offences Act, (Act 29 of 1960) rescued from lawful custody.
He said the eight suspects who perpetrated the escape mission would also be charged with disturbance of court, resisting arrest, aiding rescue and any other charges which would be disclosed under section 233 of Act 29 , 1960
The IGP was accompanied by Commissioner of Police (COP) Christian Tetteh-Yohuno, the Director General of Operations, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) George Tweneboah, Commanding Officer-Forced Police Unit (FPU) and other police top ranking officers.
Flanked by DCOP Ken Yeboah, the Regional Police Commander and ACP Osei Ampofo-Duku, the second-in-command, he described the incident as unfortunate, reprehensible and unghanaian which is condemned by the service in no uncertain terms, pledging that the police would continue to pursue all those who played part in the unfortunate act.
“This act of lawlessness has the propensity to cast a slur on the hard won image of our dear nation, as a nation, we have come very far in our democratic pursuit and we cannot afford to slip,” he added and vowed his administration’s resolve to deal with all sorts of vandalism in the country.
He assured the general public that the police administration had commenced investigation into the entire episode with particular focus on police operation at the court premise with the view to evaluate operational defects associated with this incident, addressing security encumbrances in our courts and other public facilities.
“The issue of political vigilantism has been topical for some time now, my predecessors and prospective administrations strive to stamp out the phenomenon for our body politics and for that matter, our society,”
“The Police service hereby declares war on the act of vigilantism and all other forms of mass disorder and disturbance. We shall clamp down on it with all the force that we can marshal, “the IGP added.
To this end he said the police administration had started reviewing some of the provisions in its service instructions with the sole aim of making its operational and administrative regulations a living document capable of meeting the challenges of the times.
“This isolated incident by a group referring to itself as Delta Force is alien to our culture and it is criminal and the police administration shall employ all legitimate means available to us including dialogue, enforcement and enactments of laws,” Mr Appeatu assured.
The IGP said it was refreshing that other bodies, institutions and personalities including the ministry of interior, the Ghana Bar Association, the Peace Council, the media, Civil societies have indicated their readiness to put their shoulders to the wheel and asked for public support.
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