Since when did walking become an offense in Ghana – Sued NDC MP asks police

One of the sued minority Members of Parliament (MPs) Mr. Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Dafeamekpor has questioned the police’s legitimacy of dragging them before the law court for allegedly protesting against the Electoral Commission (EC).

The state, represented by the Ghana Police Service has dragged Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu and ten other opposition MPs including Rockson Dafeamekpor to court for embarking on a march to the office of the Electoral Commission(EC) in contravention of the Public Order Act.

The other nine MPs are Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, Samuel George, John Abdulai Jinapor, Ras Mubarak, Mutawakilu Adam, Ebenezer Okletey Yerlabi, Dr Kwabena Donkor, Bashir Alhassan Fuseini and Kwabena Mintah Akando.

They have since been charged with unlawful assembly.

The police said the minority MPs needed to have served notice of their protest to the law enforcement body in accordance with the Public Order Act but the Minority, on the other hand, have responded saying they sent a notification to the Marshall of Parliament for their walk.

However, one of them who is a Member of Parliament for South Dayi in response to the Police Service in an interview with Starr FM monitored by MyNewsGH.com questioned the police’s legitimacy for dragging them before the law court saying walking to a place does not breach any law of the land.

“So when did in this country walking to a place become a crime, when?” He quizzed

He continued that, what they did was not a demonstration but rather a decision to walk to the office of the Electoral Commission to present their petition since the distance was a stone throw.

“We were not demonstrating, we were walking and there is no law in the Republic of Ghana that says that a group of people cannot walk to a certain destination to do a certain act”, he insisted.

“We could have decided to drive in our cars and go to the EC to deliver the petition. But because the distance was short we decided to walk, which is today has become a crime. So when did in this country walking to a place become a crime, when?” Mr. Rockson Dafeamekpor questioned adding that, the police Service treated them as criminals.