The arrest of some 26 National Democratic Congress (NDC) demonstrators granted GH¢10,000 bail each during a recent demonstration at the premises of the Electoral Commission has been described as needless according to the party’s leadership.
“These people were harmless. They had no weapons to destabilize the country and their arrest was unwarranted”, Greater Accra Regional Secretary of the party, Theophilus Tettey Chaie said.
The demonstrators were charged with unlawful assembling, and failure to notify the police before hitting the streets to register their displeasure on the election results.
Speaking to the arrest on Kumasi-based Akoma FM monitored by MyNewsGh.com, the former NDC lawmaker explained picketing is cannot be described as illegal as being claimed by the police.
“Picketing is not a crime. And NDC supporters have every right to picket”, Hon. Theophilus Tettey Chaie told host, Kofi Asante Ennin.
The NDC Regional Secretary however indicated that the party will not rest until the 2020 presidential election results declared by the Electoral Commission (EC) is corrected.
Meanwhile, a statement issued and signed by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Greater Accra Regional Police Command DSP Efia Tenge revealed that the suspects are being taken through due process and provisionally cautioned on the offences of Unlawful Assembly, Holding of Special Event without notification and Obstruction.
“The public is hereby advised to adhere to the tenets of the Public Order Act, 1994 (ACT 491) which requires organisers of special events to duly notify the police ahead of intended demonstrations”, it said.
Source: MyNewsGh.com
