Mahama Condemns Police ‘Brutality’ on Anyidoho Sympathizers

Former President John Mahama has condemned the Police for what he describes as their ‘high-handed’ responses to “innocent” Ghanaians who massed up at the Police Headquarters on Tuesday night in solidarity with arrested NDC Deputy General Secretary, Koku Anyidoho.

In a Facebook post, the former President chided the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and President Akufo-Addo for the manner in which Mr. Anyidoho was arrested and later charged with treason.

He however did not make mention of the comments by Mr. Anyidoho which has been widely condemned and considered treasonable.

“As a party that prides itself in the non-criminalization of speech, with a self-acclaimed human rights activist as President, the arrest of K. Anyidoho with armed men in the middle of a press event is obviously disproportionate. Moreso, the high-handed police response to innocent citizens waiting at the CID HQ is condemnable,” he said.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID), on Tuesday afternoon picked up Koku Anyidoho at the International Press Center for making what has been described as treasonable comments.

He was picked up during a press conference by a group of opposition political parties known as the Inter-Party Coalition for National Sovereignty, who are kicking against the Ghana-US Defence Cooperation agreement ratified by Parliament last Friday.

Following his arrest, hundreds of sympathizers and supporters of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) including its leaders, massed up at the Police Headquarters in Accra, where Anyidoho was being interrogated.

The gathering, who appeared agitated, were challenged by some tens of armed police men who fired gunshots and used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd.

The development left some of the protesters sustaining various degrees of injuring including reports of rubber bullet wounds.

What did Koku Anyidoho say?

Mr. Anyidoho in an interview on Accra-based Happy FM, indicated that President Akufo-Addo will be overthrown just like his father and the late Dr. K. A Busia due to the ratification of the controversial defence cooperation agreement between the US and the government of Ghana.

“Somebody should tell Nana Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself. On the 13th of January 1972, a certain Colonel Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led an insurrection that removed the progress party from power. Busia was the Prime Minister and Akufo Addo’s father was the ceremonial President. Someone should tell Akufo-Addo that history has an interesting way of repeating itself,” Anyidoho warned.

When he was asked by the Host to clarify his statement, Koku Anyidoho maintained that “history has an interesting way of repeating itself.”

“There will be a civilian coup d’état. There will be a social revolution. We [NDC] are starting it on Wednesday. The movement is starting on Wednesday. Nana Addo will have sleepless nights. He will suffer diarrhea. He said he wanted to be president, but we will make sure he will be fed up on the seat,’’ he noted further.

Meanwhile, John Mahama has declared his support for a demonstration dubbed #GhanaFirst, which is in protest of the government’s decision to ratify the Ghana-US defence cooperation.

Source: Citifmonline