Eight persons killed during 2020 election a dent on Ghana’s democracy – LINSOD

Lawyers In Search Of Democracy (LINSOD) has said the death of eight citizens during the 2020 general election is a dent on Ghana’s democracy.

LINSOD in a statement in remembrance of the eight citizens who died during the 2020 general elections blames the government of Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia for inaction

According to the group, President Akufo-Addo as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ghana has never spoken about the incident and the Vice President who doubles as the Chairman of the Police Council of Ghana has also never spoken about the incidents.

“The police maintain a deafening silence on the murders, and surrogates and supporters of the ruling NPP government are quick to rebuff anyone who raises a question on the incidents that investigations are ongoing."

“But everyone knows that no investigation is ongoing of these murders, and so the police cannot give any updates on them, and the victims and their families shall never have justice under the current dispensation. This is a very sad development and an irreparable dent in the record of our fledgling democracy,” the President of LINSOD, Eric Delanyo Alifo, Esq stated.

He continued: “While we await to hear the government’s position on the 2020 murders, we wish to again console the families of those murdered. In due course, we shall announce events to commemorate their murders annually.”

Below is the full statement by LINSOD

LINSOD REMEMBERS EIGHT INNOCENT CITIZENS MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD DURING 2020 GENERAL ELECTIONS AND BLAMES THE GOVERNMENT OF NANA AKUFO-ADDO AND DR. BAWUMIA FOR INACTION

Exactly three years ago, today, eight innocent Ghanaian citizens were murdered in cold blood during the 2020 general elections, by people, who were believed to be agents of the ruling NPP government of Nana Akufo Addo and Dr. Mahmoud Bawumia. Some of the killers were seen in military uniforms, or in the company of the Military and/or the police.

Three years after the act, there is no information about the arrest of even a single person associated with the crime. The President of the Republic and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, has never spoken about the incidents.

The Vice President and the Chairman of the Police Council of Ghana has also never spoken about the incidents. The police maintain a deafening silence on the murders, and surrogates and supporters of the ruling NPP government are quick to rebuff anyone who raises a question on the incidents that “investigations are ongoing.”

But everyone knows that no investigation is ongoing of these murders, so the police cannot give any updates on them, and the victims and their families shall never have justice under the current dispensation. This is a very sad development and an irreparable dent in the record of our fledgling democracy.

As lawyers, who are interested in the practice and development of democracy in Ghana, and who are determined to promote good democratic principles in the country, we are very concerned about this development and we wish to call on the President of the Republic to address the nation on the subject.

Just yesterday morning, we woke up to the news of a complaint by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs. Jean Adukwei Mensa that Ghana “is experiencing planned attempts to unleash violence before, during, and after the 2024 general elections. Mrs. Mensa claims that the purpose of the attempts is to “dent the image of institutions such as the EC, the Police, and other security agencies” in the country.

From the standpoint of LINSOD, however, the image of the aforementioned institutions was long dented by the murders during the 2020 general elections, and the inaction of the government and the police is only worsening their situation, and may just be the reason why some people may still be emboldened enough to be planning another violence for the 2024 general elections.

We have also taken notice of the pledge by the IGP that the police shall ensure a peaceful election in 2024. Ghanaians wish to take the IGP’s words seriously, but before then we would want to know what the police has done to curb and or investigate the violence that had accompanied the 2020 general elections.

While we await to hear government’s position on the 2020 murders, we wish to again console the families of those murdered. In due course, we shall announce events to commemorate their murders annually.