Police arrest 1,326 nationwide for flouting public gathering, social distancing directives

At least 1,326 persons across the country have been arrested by the police in connection with Coronavirus (COVID-19) related offences.

The suspects, who were apprehended between March 23, and April 29, 2020, were reported to have breached various sections of the Restriction of Imposition law.

Among some of the infractions were ban on public gathering, social distancing directives and illegal entry through the country’s borders.

Out of the 1,326 persons arrested, 306 were under investigations, 624 granted bail, 221 in court and 175 convicted.

The Director of the Police Public Affairs, Superintendent of Police (Supt) Sheila Abayie-Buckman, disclosed these in an exclusive interview with the Ghanaian Times in Accra, yesterday.

She gave the breakdown of the arrest as follows: Greater Accra,586, Ashanti, 227, Volta 70, Western, 39, Eastern, 53, Tema, 50, Bono, 37, Northern, 13, Central, 153, Oti, 36, North East, 1,Upper East, 24, Upper West, 23, Western North, nine, Bono East, five, Savannah and Ahafo Nil.

Supt Abayie-Buckman said the ban on social activities was still in force and the police were working hard to ensure people abide by the social distancing law to ensure the spread of the virus was contained in the country.

She admonished the public to abide by the law on public gatherings or would be arrested and prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others.

Supt Abayie-Buckman called on the public to collaborate with the police to ensure lives were protected in the country.

She assured the public that the Ghana Police Service would continue to ensure that lives were saved.

Supt Abayie-Buckman appealed to the media to continue to support the Police Service to ensure that the public abide by the imposition of restriction law to help contain the disease.

Ghana’s coronavirus case counts have increased by 121 from initial 1,550 bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 1,671.

The number of people who had perished from the disease had increased by five bringing the total number of deaths to 16 and recoveries to 188.

Currently, about 1461 are well and have no symptoms and are responding to treatment.