Bernard Mornah to police: I stand by my statement

The National Chairman of People's National Convention (PNC), Mr Benard Mornah has been granted police enquiry bail in connection with pronouncements he made against the Electoral Commission (EC) deemed to be threats.

He is to report to the headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on June 16, 2020.

He was granted bail after his bail condition of one surety was signed by the Greater Accra Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Bala Maikankan.

This was after a meeting between some leaders of the PNC, National Democratic Congress (NDC) and other members of the Inter-party Resistance Against New Register (lPRAN) and top officials of the CID.

The closed door meeting which started at about 11:45am ended at about 1:30 pm.

Mr Mornah was invited by the CID to assist with investigations over some pronouncements he made against the Electoral Commission (EC) which was considered to be threats.

Related: Bernard Mornah's reaction to CID invitation; I only cautioned the EC

The invitation letter dated Thursday, May 28, 2020 asked the PNC National Chairman to report to the CID headquarters with regards to some comments he made relating to the controversial issue of the Electoral Commission's compilation of a new voters’ register.

Supporters

Ahead of the meeting some supporters of the PNC, NDC and lPRAN defied the downpour to besiege the headquarters of the CID.

The supporters who were stopped at the headquarters of the National Fire Service managed to find their way to the entrance of the CID headquarters where personnel of the

Formed Police Unit (FPU) prevented them from entering the premises.

Even though it was raining, the supporters who were mostly in red attire or had red bands around their necks, head or hands defied the downpour and stood by the entrance while the police assisted Mr Mornah and some selected members to have access into the premises.

Lawyers

Some high ranking members of the NDC arrived at the headquarters of the CID in connection with the invitation of Mr Mornah at about 10:52am.

They included the chairman of the NDC, Mr Ofosu Ampofo and three lawyers led by the lead counsel for the NDC, Mr Abraham Amaliba.

They were seen holding discussions at the second floor of the CID headquarters before they held a closed door meeting with the Deputy Director General of the CID, the head of Operations, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr Joseph Oklu-Gyamrah and some other top officials of the CID.

`I stand by my comment’

Even though the invitation, signed by the Deputy Director General, Barima Tweneboah Sasraku II had asked Mr Mornah to report at the CID headquarters, he arrived at about 11:35 am.

Mr Mornah wore a red smock and was accompanied by his wife, the Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Mr Peter Boamah Otokunor who was also in a red shirt with some other supporters.

Mr Mornah said his comment was only an advice to the EC against the compilation of a new register ahead of election 2020.

Speaking to Graphic Online before meeting the officials of the CID, Mr Mornah, who was drenched after standing in the rain, said he did not see anything wrong with his comments and would stand by it any day.

"If the EC proceeds with the new voters register it will exclude over 10 million Ghanaians from the register," he said.

Voting, he explained was a fundamental human right and therefore the right to be on the voter's register must be the priority of the Electoral Commission "but if the EC by its own handiwork decides to exclude people from the voter's register they are subverting the will of the people and that will amount to attacking the spirit of the constitution."

He said "any attempt to attack the constitution must be resisted. I intend to offer my life in that resistance because I will resist to defend the constitution of Ghana. I am fully committed to the letter of every word I spoke.”

Video

After the meeting, the lead counsel for the NDC, Mr Abraham Amaliba told Graphic Online that a 37-minutes video in which Mr Mornah was purported to have made the said comments was shown to him and he confirmed making the comments.

They initially wanted to arrest him citing the statement which were captured on video and after the video was shown he was charged under section 207 for offence conduct conducive to the breach of the peace.

He was then made to write an investigative caution statement in which he said he was not prepared to make any statement beyond what was on the video and that he still stands by his words.

He was then granted bail to report to the CID headquarters every two weeks.

The supporters who waited in the downpour for more than two hours carried Mr Mornah shoulder high.