Delta Force fine was ''shambolic & theatrical'' - NDC

The fine which the Kumasi Circuit slapped on the 13 Delta Force members for escaping lawful custody has been described by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as ‘’shambolic and theatrical’’.

A Kumasi Circuit Court presided over by Justice Ekow Mensah, on Tuesday fined the 13 Delta Force members 200 penalty units, which translates into GHc2,400 or in default spend three years in prison for escaping from the court after they were remanded.

The 13 Delta Force members were facing charges of conspiracy to assault for raiding the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council and assaulting the Regional Security Coordinator because they were against his appointment.

They were last week freed by some members of the vigilante group in open court, after the presiding judge remanded the 13 to police custody.

About eight of those who caused the confusion at the court were arrested, while the 13 escapees subsequently turned themselves into the police.

But responding to the ruling, National Chairman of the opposition NDC, Kofi Portuphy said ‘’the ruling was shambolic and theatrical and only compounds the national disgrace that the former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana complained of. He said, the ruling will ‘’certainly have grave ramifications for law and order in this country.’’

He further suggested that, ‘’this latest manifestation of Nana Akufo-Addo’s all die be die mantra could plunge the nation into further lawlessness with grave consequences.’’

He added: ‘’We [NDC] now have every reason to believe that the Akufo-Addo’s presidency is complicit in the violence being unleashed by Delta Force, Invincible Forces and the like.’’

The party also took a swipe at civil society groups, clergy, the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) over what they termed as their silence over the acts of vigilantism.

The response from these groups they lamented was in respect to only the attack on the Kumasi Circuit Court.

In a barrage of questions he quizzed: ‘’Where was the Peace Council when after the elections these NPP elements attacked, burnt down and in some cases took over operations of toll booths at Fiapre in the Brong Ahafo Region and the Tema end of the motorway? Where was the GBA when the goons beat up police officers and chased them out of their office? Where was the Peace Council when the NPP-sponsored groups murdered 4 NDC activists in different parts of the Western and Central Regions? Where was the so-called moral conscience of society when the NPP-sponsored terrorists invaded and attacked homes of former government officials on the pretext of searching for government property? Where were they when these same NPP goons destroyed state property at the Kwame Nkrumah interchange, raided NADMO head office etc?

The NDC he concluded will use legitimate means to address their concerns if the President fails to crack the whip.