Free Whatsapp News editor for him to celebrate Easter with family - South Dayi MP to police

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Mr Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor is pleading with the police to release the Editor of Whatsapp News, David Tamakloe, who is said to have been arrested and detained on Thursday.

The MP, who is also a member of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee is pleading the release so that Tamakloe can celebrate the Easter with his family.

According to the MP, Tamakloe was picked up at gunpoint and sent to a yet-to-be-identified police station by security men in plain cloth.

It is unclear the basis for the arrest, he said in a press statement issued on Friday, April 2, 2021.

The NDC lawmaker bemoaned what he said was the use of state security agencies by government to muscle out critical media.

“It comes as a surprise that nothing seems to be changing in this regard. Mr. Tamakloe was reported to have been picked up at gun point sometime yesterday. And particularly, on the eve of Good Friday knowing very well that he would be kept in police custody until after Monday, is most inhumane, unacceptable, backward and smacks of abuse of police powers.

“A colleague lawyer, who followed up on the matter at the Police station has recounted how the officers were unable to provide any reasons for his arrest. Just none and yet he has been denied police inquiry [bail] deliberately,” he said.

He stressed: “It is important that our security operate on the basis of transparency and with a certain sense of integrity. The image of the security agencies continue to decline over the years following the arbitrary and unexplained arrests of innocent citizens.

“The state must not be seen to be expending its powers in an arbitrary manner. The state, rather than abusing its powers, is expected to protect the rights and liberties of its citizens. The consistent acts of picking up individuals without cause, must cease now. Rule of law doesn’t mean rule of a few. It means acting in accordance with our laws and not in accordance with our whims and caprices.

“I am by this release urging the IGP to direct that Mr. Tamakloe is admitted to police inquiry bail so he can join his family at Easter and that if any prima facie determination is made after the Easter festivities, he can be properly arraigned in court so he would take steps to defend himself in the matter”.

Below is a copy of Mr Dafeamekpor's press statement

FREE DAVID TAMAKLOE TO CELEBRATE EASTER WITH HIS FAMILY

News broke yesterday that Mr. David Tamakloe was arrested by some unidentified security officials allegedly from the National Security.

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The Rambo-styled approach of effecting arrest of citizens has been a subject for concern to many.

It comes as a surprise that nothing seems to be changing in this regard. Mr. Tamakloe was reported to have been picked up at gun point sometime yesterday. And particularly, on the eve of Good Friday knowing very well that he would be kept in police custody until after Monday, is most inhumane, unacceptable, backward and smacks of abuse of police powers.

A colleague lawyer, who followed up on the matter at the Police station has recounted how the officers were unable to provide any reasons for his arrest. Just none and yet he has been denied police inquiry deliberately.

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It is important that our security operate on the basis of transparency and with a certain sense of integrity. The image of the security agencies continue to decline over the years following the arbitrary and unexplained arrests of innocent citizens.

The sacrifice of professionalism on the altar of political expediency and making the security a tool for political manipulations would go a long way to hurt us all.

Mr. David Tamakloe, the publisher of Whatsapp News was arrested in a similar fashion a couple of months ago without justification.

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The state must not be seen to be expending its powers in an arbitrary manner. The state, rather than abusing its powers, is expected to protect the rights and liberties of its citizens. The consistent acts of picking up individuals without cause, must cease now. Rule of law doesn’t mean rule of a few. It means acting in accordance with our laws and not in accordance with our whims and caprices.

I am by this release urging the IGP to direct that Mr. Tamakloe is admitted to police inquiry bail so he can join his family at Easter and that if any prima facie determination is made after the Easter festivities, he can be properly arraigned in court so he would take steps to defend himself in the matter.

Martin Luther King cautioned that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Let us be guided.

Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, Esq
MP, South Dayi
Member: Const., Legal & Parliamentary Affairs Committee