Reverend Prof Emmanuel Asante
Chairman of the National Peace Council (NPC), Reverend Prof Emmanuel Asante, has charged the police to deal with lawlessness by vigilante groups.
“We are dealing with outlaws and you don’t legitimise such groups by calling them to enter into dialogue. All we need is for the police to crack the whip to ensure that these groups do not disturb the rule of law and democracy being enjoyed in Ghana,” he said in an interview on Friday, April 7.
He was reacting to news concerning 13 Delta Force members who escaped from police custody with the help of fellow Delta Force colleagues who had thronged the hearing at a Kumasi Circuit Court.
The 13, who were remanded into prison custody and billed to reappear on 20 April, were whisked away through the backdoor of the judge’s chamber by their supporters.
The suspects were standing trial for assaulting the Regional Security Coordinator after his appointments indicating that he was not their preferred candidate.
But latest information indicated that all the 13 have turned themselves in to the police.
Commenting on the issue, Prof Asante said the Delta Force suspects were criminals and must be treated as such, hence no negotiations should be made with the Delta Forces so the law takes its course.
“These are a group of armed robbers, are you going to legitimise them? We have had in this country Al Qaeda Force, we have had this even in Kumasi here, were they people that you call to enter into dialogue with? These are outlaws and must be addressed as outlaws,” he explained.
For him, the police has the responsibility to deal with the situation. He was of the view that if the situation appears too big to handle, the law enforcement agency should liaise with other security agencies to have them crushed.
“If they have difficulty or are outnumbered, they could call in the other security agencies to come in, rally with them to maintain law and order so that ordinary Ghanaians can go about their normal duties without fear of these groups coming to threaten them,” he added.
