Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu, says the arrest of the persons involved in the #OccupyJubileeHouse demo affirms his earlier assertion that the praise for the IGP was premature.
He says he was of the view that the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, was hailed too early when he assumed office, suggesting that Ghanaians should have waited for for some years of unblemished tenure before singing him hallelujahs.
He told Alfred Ocansey Saturday, September 23, 2023, on the KeyPoints that the arrest of the protestors last Saturday was a dent on Ghana’s democracy.
“That’s why when people were praising him from the beginning I said Ghana we like these things too much, the man just started, you should let him finish his course, maybe he’s done four or five years, unblemished record, that’s when we can start singing praises.
“NDC were so happy just a few months ago just because of Assin North, today you see, our right to demonstrate, it’s been taken away,” he indicated.
The police arrested 49 people Thursday, September 21, 2023, during a disrupted protest towards the Jubilee House.
The protesters were rounded up by the Police at the 37 bus terminal, where they had assembled for the planned protest Thursday morning.
The police cited that an application to halt the demonstration had been submitted and served to Atuguba & Associates, the legal team representing the organisers from Democracy Hub, as early as Tuesday, September 19.
However, the organisers claimed they had no knowledge of the application and chose to proceed with their march.
Meanwhile, all the demonstrators that were arrested were released on Friday.
Mr. Kpebu further chastised the IGP and asked him to render an unqualified apology to Ghanaians for the dastardly act perpetrated towards the citizens during the protest.
“The police just goofed. They just goofed and they retrogressed our democracy. I don’t know why they were in a so much hurry. I don’t know why IG[P] Dampare, because of the parliamentary committee thing is shaking his confidence.
“You should come and render an apology to the people of Ghana that I’ve made a mistake and it’s normal. You’re a fine man, just that you’re human, you make mistakes. When you did a yeoman’s job in Assin North yes I praised you for it but as soon as Maame Tiwaa’s faction, COP Mensah’s faction and the other problems we’ve had came up, you see I said no, let’s go into it because it will help you.
“You mean well but naturally you’re human, so the way you retrogressed our democracy on Thursday, the minimum you can do is to come and render an unqualified apology. You’ve given a big bloat to our democracy,” he pronounced.
Meanwhile, the Police have issued a statement apologising to the public for what ensued last Thursday.
READ ALSO: Police apologises to public for fallouts from OccupyJubileeHouse demo
