DumsorMustStop demo: Police withdraw injunction against Yvonne Nelson, others

The Greater Accra Regional Command of the Ghana Police Service has withdrawn its application seeking to prohibit organizers of the ‘#DumsorMustStop’ demonstration from taking place.

The withdrawal of the application, EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, was due to the organizers accepting to vary their initial route for the protest.

The action filed on May 20, comes after the Accra Region Police Command had urged the organisers to consider relocating the planned protest venue.

In Court on Friday, May 24, 2024, Justice Lydia Osei Marfo said, the applicants (Ghana Police Service) have written to the Court to withdraw their application m.

Justice Marfo consequently said, “The application is struck out as withdrawn.”

The police had earlier urged them to adjust the timing for the protest which has been fixed for Saturday, May 25, 2024.

But, their request to the organizers was declined which led to the police filing a motion to ask the court to order the organizers to stop the event entirely.

“Take Notice that this Honourable Court shall be moved by Counsel for and on behalf of the Applicant herein praying this Honourable Court for an order prohibiting the respondents from holding an intended picketing fixed for 25th May 2024 at the Revolution Square, upon the grounds contained in the accompanying affidavit and for such further orders) as this Honourable Court may deem fit,” the action filed on May 20, 2024, indicated.

But, the action has been withdrawn and the same struck out.

The case was titled “Inspector General of Police vs Yvonne Nelson, Selorm Dramani Dzramado and Henry Osei Akoto.”

The police (Applicants) were represented in Court by Chief Inspector Jonas Laweh while the Respondents were absent.

There was no legal representation when the case was struck out.

Background

Actress Yvonne Nelson, who previously organized a similar protest in 2015, contends that the intermittent power cuts, locally known as ‘dumsor,’ are adversely affecting her business.

She and her team have met with the Ghana Police Service to notify them of the intended protest.

However, the police opposed the proposed protest route after a meeting, particularly the planned endpoint at Revolution Square.

The police argue that its proximity to Jubilee House, a designated security zone and the time the protest was to end around midnight.