Delta Force ‘Rioting’ Charge Bogus – Maurice Ampaw

Popular Legal Practitioner, Maurice Ampaw, insists the ‘Rioting’ charge proffered against the Delta Force 13, gives room for suspicion.

According to him, the earlier charges of assault, conspiracy to commit crime and other charges ought to have stood.

He said he was alarmed about the Attorney General (AG) Department’s last-minute change of the charge from assault to rioting, which attracted lenient punishment.

Thirteen members of the group were fined GH¢1,800 each for rioting by a law court in Kumasi on Thursday, but according to Ampaw, the manner in which the original charge was dropped gives room for people to suspect of conspiracy to set the suspects free.

Delta Force

It is recalled that about seven months ago, some members of the Delta Force, a vigilante group in the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), caused a stir when they attacked Mr. George Agyei, the then newly-appointed Ashanti Regional National Security Coordinator in his Kumasi office.

But for the timely intervention of armed policemen, Agyei would have suffered more bodily harm than the eye bruises and bleeding nose he suffered. Thirteen of them were arrested and charged for assault, which was later changed to rioting.

Maurice Ampaw Angry

Lawyer Maurice Ampaw said he blamed the whole twisted development on political intervention.

“The charge was bogus but I don’t blame the judge”, adding, the NPP administration should bow their heads in shame over the outcome of the case.

He said he also suspected that the suspects were coached to quickly admit that they were guilty so they could get softer punishment.

Jabs NPP, NDC

According to Ampaw, who was speaking on Nhyira FM, even though the NPP erred in its handling of the case, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) doesn’t have the moral right to blast the NPP.

He recounted that the NDC, when they were in political power, also twisted the wheel of justice whenever a case was brought against any of their members, saying, “Ghana is now like the property of politicians”.

Source: Kwadwo Essel