Benard Mornah Under Arrest

The police in Accra are considering what charges to be slapped on the People’s National Convention Chairman, Benard Mornah and 17 others arrested for staging an unauthorized rally.

According to David Eklu, the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) the police would know the charges to prefer against the accused persons when they report to the police this morning.

He was emphatic that the police could not guess any charges to be slapped on the accused persons including Irbard Ibrahim, a security analyst.

The Senior Police Officer indicated in a telephone interview with the paper yesterday that the charges to preferred against the accused persons was in the hands of the investigators.

Arrests

The Nima police on Saturday arrested the demonstrators who had gathered at the Kawukudi Park in Accra against the Togolese government to draw attention to the human rights abuses being perpetrated by authorities.

The group had earlier sought permission from the police to provide security for the walk but the police declined with the explanation they had personnel and resource constraints.

The group then decided to go ahead with the walk leading to their arrest.

In November, the police at the same venue arrested some twenty-six Togolese nationals including an 11-year-old boy who are currently standing trial before an Accra Circuit Court for staging an another unlawful demonstration over the political situation in their country.

The suspects including six girls were part of some 300 nationals from Togo, who had converged in Accra to protest over the political tension in their country.

But in the instant case, Mornah insists they were picked up in “Rambo-Style” manner by armed police men just when the walk was about to begin.

He described their arrest as “uncouth, unreasonable, and that it defies any reasonable thinking that the police in recent times can behave like that”.

Mr. Mornah and security analyst have since been released on bail.

Lawyer Writes

Lawyers for Mornah had written to the police demanding reasons for his arrest and whether or not he would be granted bail.

The letter copied to the President, the Chief Justice, Attorney-General and the Inspector General of Police wanted to know if Bernard “is in the custody of the Nima Police Station, any of the affiliates of that Police Station, or any officer or worker or affiliate or agent of that Police Station”.

He again wanted to know “whether or not our Client has been charged with any offence(s), and if so what offence(s) and whether or not our Client will be granted bail, and if so on what day and time”.

The lawyer wondered if Mornah will be put before a Court of law, and if so on what day and time and at which Court.

Police Explain

Meanwhile, ACP Eklu, in a statement issued in Accra on Saturday said the arrest was as a result of “unlawful assembly and engaging in acts that were likely to occasion the breach of the peace.”

He stated that the group were arrested when they assembled to embark on a demonstration against the advice of the Police.

“The police initially indicated their preparedness to provide the required security for the demonstration but based on an information received by the police that another group had planned to disrupt the demonstration as well as other operational exigencies the police had to handle, the leader of the group Mr. Bernard Mornah was advised to suspend the demonstration but he failed to heed to the advice and went ahead to organize the group who assembled at Kawukudi park ready to embark on the demonstration” it claimed.

The statement nonetheless appealed to persons or group of persons who intend to embark on any public event especially during this Christmas period to cooperate with the police to ensure the security of the demonstrators as well as members of the public.

By: Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson/ thePublisher