Politics of Thursday, 19 October 2017
Source: primenewsghana.com
2017-10-19
NDC legal team member, Abraham Amaliba
A Member of the National Democratic Congress [NDC] legal team says the fine of ?1,800 imposed on each of the 13 members of pro-NPP vigilante group delta force will give room for more political lawlessness.
Abraham Amaliba believes the court failed to use the opportunity to send a strong signal to political vigilante groups that they have no place in the politics of Ghana.
The Asokwa District Court in the Ashanti region on October 19, fined 13 members of delta force a pro-NPP group ?1,800 each or in default, serve 12 months in jail.
Sharing his thoughts on the sentence, Mr Amaliba said the court is simply telling people that if they have 2000 Ghana cedis they can misbehave and go scot free.
According to him, a custodial sentence should have been the most appropriate sentence for the Delta Force 13, notwithstanding the fact that it was the same members of the group that attacked the court to free the 13, at a stage in the trial.
He added the court should have taken judicial notice of the activities of political vigilante groups and dealt with the issues decisively.
But counsel for the Delta Force 13 Frederick Kankam Boadu said there was no need for a custodial sentence because the 13 pleaded guilty to the counts of conspiracy to commit a crime by rioting.
