Terroristic Threat

Onipa Ba

Many a contributor has substantiated their arguments at this forum with statistical or sound theoretical inference. An example is a posting about two years ago, in which the contributor used solid statistical data to highlight the achievements of the NPP. However, the method used in my postings has most often been comparative analysis. Once again, I apply comparative analysis in the current posting.

As Ghana embarks on the journey to democracy, a comparative analysis of Ghana on one side versus the matured democracies on the other side, in terms of the rule of law and civilized cultural practices, constitutes an appropriate metric for assessing the position of Ghana on the road to democracy. Although practitioners of certain unlawful, uncivilized and socially destructive cultural practices may be in a minority, the legislative and enforcement branches of the government must be held to task to stop such practices in the society. The law is the supporting pillar on which every democracy hinges. Thus, to give a clear view of the extent of wrongness of such practices it is necessary to look at how such practices and scenarios are treated by the laws in democratic societies where the rule of law works.

In the United States, to threaten another person with language such as “wait and you will see what will happen to you”, “wait and see” etc, constitutes a terroristic threat to the subject and the law permits the subject to bring legal action against the perpetrator of the threat. If the subject were to pass away or if something tragic were to happen to the subject immediately after the threat, I believe the perpetrator of the threat would be held fully accountable.

Every Ghanaian or person who grew up in Ghana knows that the Ewe terrorizes the society with voodoo practices also known as “juju”. One area where the Ewe practices this evil art is in employment and professional relationships. There are several known incidents in employment and professional competitions whereby an Ewe with slim chances of success would threaten the colleague with such languages as “wait and see”, “I shall go to my hometown and you will see what will happen to you thereafter”. Indeed, such threats have never been empty. They have resulted in the immediate deaths of the non-Ewe competitor. Faced with such threats from Ewes, many non-Ewes have had to leave their jobs prematurely for fear of their lives. The premature leave by the non-Ewe often translates into the loss of usually a more competent and more useful contributor to the organizational development and advancement.

Is it lawful or fair for the Ewe to threaten to kill others and indeed end up killing them and yet walk as a free person? Is it lawful or fair for the Ewe to use threats of murder by voodoo or “juju” to stop others from holding employment? Such threats would constitute “terroristic threats” in the civilized countries and they are illegal.

Laws must be put in place to prosecute and convict the Ewe who carries out threats of death by voodoo and indeed ends up killing the subject. Following the death of the subject of the threat, who would take care of his/her survivors, i.e. widows, school age children etc, etc? The assets of the Ewe threat perpetrator must be confiscated and be turned over to the survivors for their upkeep.

There is a two-fold evil in the threat of death by voodoo perpetrated by Ewes. Besides the murder of the non-Ewe victim, the Ewe perpetrator contracts an Ewe voodoo priest who in turn has acquired the satanic powers through human sacrifice. Thus a relevant law in place could also bring the Ewe voodoo priest to justice if his associations and dealings with the Ewe threat perpetrator have directly resulted in the death of another person. In short, the Ewe voodoo priest would be a partner in the crime. These satanic practices by Ewes are responsible for their evil, lawlessness and cruelty against non-Ewe’s. These practices are also responsible for the prevalence of complete disregard for the destruction of human lives by Ewes. These anti-social and evil Ewe practices manifest themselves in the dealings of the Ewe with members of other tribes, in many other areas.

Terroristic threats are illegal in advanced countries and they must not be allowed go unpunished in Ghana. Appropriate laws are needed in Ghana to stop this Ewe menace. Such laws would make the Ewe a more civilized, a rational and a less cruel human being who can be accommodated within the realm of a civilized society. Such laws would also safeguard the legal rights and the safety of the non-Ewe who is always disenfranchised or killed with threats of death by voodoo, perpetrated by the Ewe. The Ewe cannot have a carte blanche, place himself/herself above the law and kill other human beings as he/she wishes.

The law constitutes the backbone of any democracy or any civilized society. Terroristic threat is not in harmony with the law.