Statement from the Information Ministry on Delta 8 was for damage control - Apaak

The Member of Parliament for Builsa South and former presidential staffer under the Mahama led administration; Dr. Clement Apaak has asserted that the statement from the Ministry of Information on the discontinuation of the Delta Force case was a damage control.

A Kumasi Circuit Court struck out the case against the eight persons who aided the escape of the 13 Delta Force members arrested for assaulting the security coordinator of the Ashanti Region.

Presiding judge, Patricia Amponsah freed the accused persons, following the Attorney General’s claim that it has no evidence to prosecute.

But it later emerged that the decision to discontinue the case was taken without recourse even to the Director of Public Prosecution and may amount to a breach of internal procedures on matters of this nature,’’ the statement from the Ministry said.

However, Dr. Clement Apaak says the statement was to repair the damage the situation has caused government. He described the release of the eight Delta Force members as the saddest day in Ghana’s justice system.

According to him, this confirms that the NPP endorses lawlessness, injustice and impunity.

He has therefore associated himself with the call by the Minority for the eight to be re-arrested and re-arraigned before court.

Dr. Apaak said, this case cannot be compared to the Montie 3 because they [Delta Force] members stormed and disrupted court proceedings and set some members who were standing trial free.

Addressing a News conference Wednesday Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu accused the Attorney General Gloria Akuffo of bowing to partisan pressure to put up a weak case leading to the release of the eight.

“The decision by the Attorney General is confirmation of the claim by a leading member of the New Patriotic Party at the time of the lawless action by Delta forces that the culprits will be set free and are they are indeed set free through the state intervention and the Attorney General filing the nolle prosequi .We are of the view that the government is bowing to partisan pressures at the cost of justice delivery in the country. “We demand, therefore, that the cancerous discretion that has just been exercised will be reversed immediately.”