Police arrest 26 for unlawful demonstration

The Greater Accra Regional Police Command has arrested 26 people for unlawfully demonstrating at the Electoral Commission (EC) Headquarters.

The arrested persons, 15 males and 11 females, were among protesters who thronged major streets in Accra to reaffirm their displeasure in the general election results declaration by the Chairperson of the EC, Mrs Jean Mensa.
A similar demonstration took place in the Ketu South Constituency.

A statement signed by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Accra Regional Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mrs Effia Tenge, said they were engaged in unlawful acts such as burning of tyres, pelting of stones and causing heavy vehicular traffic congestion.

Under the circumstance, she said, the police were forced to disperse the crowd using non-lethal riot control management approaches and arrests.

Mrs Tenge said all the suspects were being taken through due process and provisionally cautioned on offences of unlawful assembly, holding of special event without notification and obstruction, adding that those found culpable would be arraigned.

Police advice

She, therefore, advised the citizenry to adhere to the tenets of the Public Order Act, 1994 (Act 194), which required organisers of special events to duly notify the police ahead of the event.

Demonstrations

The declaration of the December 7 general election has resulted in a series of demonstrations, particularly, by sympathisers of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to register their displeasure with the alleged rigged results.

Similar demonstrations were embarked on by the NDC supporters in Ashaiman, Madina and Achimota as well as the women’s wing of the party in Kumasi.

Already, the police have arrested five persons for allegedly rioting and burning lorry tyres on the street at Christian Village Junction at Achimota in Accra.