The Mamprugu Youth in Bawku in the Upper East region has demanded the immediate release of their kinsmen in police custody after exceeding the lawful 48hours detention without any action from the police administration.
The youth believes the fundamental human rights are being trampled upon with of the refusal by the police administration to grant them bail.
“The police CID have failed or refused to meet their custody requirements imposed on them by the supreme laws of this country and have continued to unlawfully detain our kinsmen. They have now been held for over 72hours without being taken to the court” the group alleges.
President of the youth, Alhassan Abagre, in a press statement last Friday (December 31, 2021) pointed out that it is a common knowledge that a person should not be detained beyond upon his or her arrest, emphasizing anything out outside that is a violation of their fundamental human rights which he stated the constitution of Ghana frowns upon.
“Yesterday even after the elapse of the 48 hour period where it was expected that they either be taken to court and charged for whatever the state believes they should answer to or grant them police enquiry bail, the Director General of the Police Criminal Investigation Department assured our lawyers that this morning, they will be granted Police Enquiry bail. This morning however when our lawyers went to engage the police in starting this process, the same director general of the police CID told us that he could not go through with his assurance because he was taking orders from above”.
“We would want to make it clear to the government or the state that our kinsmen are being treated like animals who have been caged without any rights. Our information is that the Interior Minister has turned himself into a court of law and given instructions that they (our kinsmen) should not be released” he alleged.
Alhassan Abagre continued, “Whatever the reason, only Ambrose Dery can tell. For someone who is not just a lawyer but a lawmaker would wantonly break the law and gleefully state that he does not mind paying compensation to the detained for his negligence and using taxpayer’s resources to unlawfully detain our kinsmen is most disappointing”.
However, the youth leader stated that at the appropriate time the Overlord of Mamprugu, the Nayiri, Naa Bohagu Mahami Abdulai Shariga will address the situation, describing it as a painful experience.
“At this point we will like to state that this is no longer about law and order, but rather lawlessness and recklessness on the part of the state and its actors through the police and the Interior Ministry. We call on the general public, civil society organizations, human rights organizations and enthusiasts, the national peace council and all interested stakeholders to take note of these happenings surrounding the arrest and continuous unlawful detention of our kinsmen” adding, we have no option at this in time than to explore the option of getting them freedom through the human rights court.
