CenPOA questions why peaceful demonstrators are jailed while NAM 1 is out on bail

Executive Director of the Centre for Public Opinion and Awareness (CenPOA), Michael Donyinah Mensah, has described the decision by a court to remand 39 persons who participated in the Democracy Hub demonstration as excessive.

Thirty-nine people who were part of the reoccupy Julorbi House demonstration were arrested and arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly engaging in unlawful activities.

The individuals are facing charges including conspiracy to commit crime, unlawful assembly, causing unlawful damage, offensive conduct, breach of public peace, and assault on public officers.

Reacting to the issue, Mr. Donyina Mensah wondered why they were refused bail when every offence is now bailable under the law.

It puzzled him that Nana Appiah Mensah, or NAM 1, facing charges of alleged fraud, was out on bail, whereas individuals demonstrating against illicit mining were being detained.

Speaking in an interview on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, he said every Ghanaian has the right to demonstrate, "but where I disagree with is the destruction of property. However, you sometimes wonder if the law works at some point and fails to work in other scenarios.

"It looks as if the law only bites in certain instances but refuses to bite in other situations. That is unfortunate. When you examine what is happening with Galamsey, the disregard for our environmental laws is unfortunate, but those engaged in these activities are not being punished.

"But we have arrested demonstrators for participating in a demonstration meant to speak against Galamsey. That is where I point out that we lack that kind of balance. I will not endorse their alleged unlawful acts and ask for them to be pardoned for that.

"However, the speed with which they are being prosecuted and their refusal for bail shows that the law is not being applied fairly. We are not using the same force to clamp down on those destroying our water bodies and depriving Ghanaians access to good drinking water.’’

He added that it makes no sense to subject these individuals to such inhumane treatment, emphasising that “even NAM 1 is not on remand.” Someone who allegedly defrauded Ghanaians and deprived them of their money, causing some of them to commit suicide, incur debt, and become ill, is not on remand. This is not a serious offence that will result in them being held in remand and the case being dragged out.

"The prosecution of the demonstrators is politically motivated and intended to demonstrate where power lies. A country that intimidates citizens who demand transparency, accountability, and good governance cannot claim to be practising democracy. It is unfair, and I am using this opportunity to appeal to the President, who is a human rights lawyer, to address this issue because for a lawyer to have this kind of activity occur under him is most unfortunate.’’