406 Arrested Over Lockdown Rules – Police

The police have arrested 406 persons who flouted guidelines on the restrictions imposed on the movement of people and social gatherings in the country, Head of Prosecutions for Accra Region, ACP Lydia Donkor has disclosed.

She said out of this figure, 103 of these persons are in custody and 248 have been granted bail.

Forty-one have been processed for court and will be dealt with in accordance with law.

Giving a regional breakdown of the figures, she indicated that Greater Accra has recorded the highest number of violations with 161 persons arrested.

Ashanti, 70; Volta, 67; Western, eight; Tema, 31; Bono, 50; Northern, nine and 24 in the Central region.

The rest are North East, one; Upper East, eight; Upper West, two and Western North, eight.

ACP Donkor said while many are abiding by the rules, “a good number of people are recalcitrant. People are leaving their homes, throwing parties, going to beaches, having weddings which is clearly in violation of what the Imposition of Restrictions Act says

“For these recalcitrant people who have refused to comply, the message is that you ae going to be dealt with in accordance with the Imposition of Restrictions Act (Act 1012),” ACP Donkor said

Parliament passed the Imposition of Restrictions Bill, 2020 to give the President the legal backing to issue directives to deal with the devastating threats posed by coronavirus in the country.

Among others, the Bill allows for the president to impose restrictions on the movement of people in the event of a disaster, emergency or similar circumstances to ensure public safety and protection.

A person who fails to comply with a restriction imposed under the Act, commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than one thousand penalty units and not more than five thousand penalty units or to a term of imprisonment of not less than four years and not more than 10 years or to both.

This puts the range of fine at between ₵12,000 and ₵60,000. The convict could also be liable to a prison term of not less than three months and not more than six months or both a fine and imprisonment.

ACP Donkor advised the general public to comply with all the rules and regulations governing the Imposition of Restrictions Act. “All My colleague heads of legal and prosecutions in all the other regions, have been charged to ensure that they enforce section 6 of the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012).

“So it is in your own interest to comply with the rules and regulations, ensure you are staying at home, if you are found on the road and the officers compel you to go back home, ensure that you do not engage in any resistance with the them,” she added.