Remand of protesters by judiciary is abuse of power – CPP vice presidential candidate

The vice presidential candidate of the Convention People's Party (CPP), Wayoe Ghanamanti, has criticised the judiciary's decisions regarding the recent arrest of the #SayNoToGalamsey protesters.

He described the remand of the protesters as an abuse of power.

In an interview with GhanaWeb TV, he stated, “There has been a long-standing call for reform in our judicial system. For instance, with the recent galamsey arrests and the 'Free the Citizen' protests, my issue isn't primarily with the police. While we know that police sometimes overstep their bounds, my concern lies with the judiciary and how they have managed these cases.”

Ghanamanti emphasised that the protesters should have been granted bail to return later.

“This is a clear example of the judiciary abusing their powers. Judicial reform is essential,” he asserted.

He acknowledged that while the police may occasionally misuse their authority, the judiciary has the responsibility to act as a check on the police.

“If galamsey is a critical issue in our country and the police have arrested protesters, it is the judiciary’s duty to protect the rights of the citizenry,” he said.

According to Ghanamanti, the refusal to grant bail and the long remand periods, sometimes extending to 14 days or more, constitute an abuse of power.

“The circuit court's refusal to grant bail and remand protesters for extended periods is excessive. It raises questions about why such so-called offenses warrant such severe measures from the judiciary. These are the issues the CPP government will address,” he added

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