Blame the Chief Justice and Attorney General of Ghana for the Lawlessness and Injustice in Bawku 

 

I am a Citizen.

I have monitored the criminal aspects of the latest Bawku conflict which broke out in November/December, 2021. I have noted that the Circuit Court in Bawku is closed. I have noted that the Security Operatives arrest and arraign suspected criminals before inferior courts in other Districts in the Upper East Region. I have noted that the inferior courts speedily grant bail to the accused persons, and the latter return to Bawku to commit more crimes (as alleged by the locals).

Will the Chief Justice and the Attorney General boldly answer these questions?: Is there no Bolgatanga High Court? Is there no Justice Alexander Graham, a Presiding Justice of the High Court? Is there no Mrs Joyce Debrah (Principal State Attorney) and Priscilla Lartey and Kofi Hayford (Assistant State Attorneys) at the Bolgatanga AG’s Department? Is there no Margaret Ayaba, a Bolgatanga High Court Registrar?

Why, then, is there a slovenly handling of the Bawku conflict-related criminal cases by the Chief Justice and the Attorney General?

It is quite clear to me that the Chief Justice and the Attorney-General must take some blame for the lawlessness and injustice in Bawku and its environs because the CJ and the AG have closed their eyes to criminal activities in the Bawku general area.

It is quite clear to me that on Bawku criminal matters, the Chief Justice and the Attorney-General have the posture of President Akufo-Addo Appointees who have been asked to walk a tightrope, and they are now forced to do it blindfolded while on a horseback!

I ask again!

Is it not the responsibility of the Chief Justice to administer the courts, allocate cases and distribute judicial workload? Is it not the responsibility of the Chief Justice to ensure that his Judges administer Justice without fear or favour?

Does the Attorney General not represent the State in legal proceedings? And is the Attorney General not the representative of the public in all legal proceedings for the enforcement of law and the assertion or protection of public rights?

So, why have the Chief Justice and the Attorney General woefully failed to expeditiously perform their roles since the recent conflict broke out in Bawku?

The Chief Justice and the Attorney-General must take the blame for the lawlessness and injustice in Bawku for their inability to oversee speedy and timeous hearing and disposal of Bawku conflict-related criminal cases, including the following:

(1). The Rep. vrs Imoro Ibrahim, Haruna Abdul Rauf.

Nature of offence: Possession of firearm and ammunition without lawful authority.

Exhibits involved:
One (1) AK 47 assault rifle with magazines, seventeen (17) rounds AK 47 live ammunitions.

Date of offence: 25/11/21.

Place of arrest: Kolore.

Status of Case: Case pending and Accused are on Court bail.

(2). The Rep. vrs Yakubu Abdul Hakim.

Nature of Offence: Possession of ammunition without lawful authority.

Date of offence: 25/11/21.

Place of arrest: Patilime.

Exhibits involved: Twelve (12) rounds of AK 47 live ammunitions.

Status of Case: Pending in Court and Accused is on Court bail.

(3). The Rep. vrs Awal Musah, Salifu Yahaya.

Nature of offence: Possession of ammunition without lawful authority.

Date of offence: 21/11/21.

Place of arrest: Siliminaba.

Exhibits involved: One (1) AK 47 live ammunition.

Status of Case: Pending in Court and Accused is on Court bail.

(4). The Rep vrs Naa Atampuri and twelve (12) others.

Nature of the offence: Unlawful assembly, offensive conduct conducive to the breach of the peace.

Date of offence: 28/12/2.

Place of arrest: Natinga.

Exhibits involved: Nil.

Status of case: Case transferred to Accra and Accused are on Court bail.

(5). The Rep. vrs Ibrahim Fatawau.

Nature of offence: Murder.

Date of offence: 13/1/22.

Place arrest: Natinga.

Exhibits involved: Nil.

Status of Case: Pending in Court and Accused is in Police custody.

(6). The Rep. vrs Mohammed Abukari and six (6) others at large.

Nature of offence: Attempt to commit crime, Murder.

Date of offence: 25/1/22.

Place of arrest: Natinga.

Exhibits involved: Nil.

Status of case: Accused on Court bail and six (6) others at large.

(7). The Rep.vrs Maxwell Asaama Awuni.

Nature of Offence: Possession of ammunition without lawful authority.

Date of offence: 1/2/22.

Place of arrest: Gingande.

Exhibits involved: Two(2) foreign pistols, fifty (50) rounds of AK 47 live ammunitions, seventeen (17) rounds of M.16 live ammunitions, three (3) rounds of G3 live ammunitions, ten (10) rounds of 9mm pistol live ammunitions.

Status of case: Pending in Court and Accused is on Court bail.

(8). The Rep. vrs Ibrahim Fatawu.

Nature of offence: Possession of firearm and ammunition without lawful authority.

Date of offence: 1/2/22.

Place of arrest: Natinga

Exhibits involved: One (1) AK47 assault rifle, one (1) Arcus foreign pistol, eight (8) rounds AK 47 live ammunition, eighty (80) live G3 ammunitions.

Status of Case: Pending in Court and Accused granted Court bail.

(9). The Rep.vrs Osman Adam Ayagiba.

Nature of offence: Murder.

Date of offence: 27/2/22.

Place of arrest: Gingande.

Exhibits involved: Nil.

Status of Case: Pending in Court and Accused is on Court bail.

(10). The Rep. vrs Rabi Azzelim

Nature of Offence: Possession of Narcotic Drug.

Date of offence: 28/2/22.

Place of arrest: Natinga.

Exhibits involved: Two (2) wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.

Status of case: Pending and Accused is on Court bail.

(11). The Rep. vrs Adam Ibrahim, Tijani Sulley, Tijani Abendeba, Imoro Adam, Saali Abusanga, Kassim Mohammed.

Nature of offence: Conspiracy to commit murder to wit: Murder, and Murder.

Date of offence: 14/3/22.

Place of arrest: Goziese.

Exhibits involved: Eleven (11) AK 47 spent shells.

Status of case: Pending in Court and Accused on Court bail.

(12). The Rep. vrs Issah Yakubu Matetim, Adams Abubakar, Eliasu Fofana, Nuhu Zato, Adams Alhassan, Shaibu Seidu, Awuni Issah, Abdulai Hamidu, Ibrahim Amadu, Issaka Mumuni.

Nature of offence: Possession of Narcotic

Date of arrest: 14/3/22.

Place of arrest: Possum.

Exhibits involved: Twenty-two (22) toffees laced with suspected Narcotic drugs.

Status of Case: Pending in Court and Accused are on Court bail.

(13). The Rep. vrs Adamu Mumuni & eight (8) others.

Nature of offence: Discharging guns in town, possession of ammunition without lawful authority.

Date of offence: 10/5/22.

Place of arrest: Patilime.

Exhibits involved: One (1) locally manufactured pistol.

Status of Case: Pending and Accused remanded into Police custody.

(14). The Rep.vrs Osman Issah.

Nature of offence: Murder.

Date of offence: 10/5/22.

Place of arrest: Sing-Naaba.

Status of Case: Registered to be called since 14/5/22, and Suspect is in custody.

(15). The Rep. vrs Sadick Abubakar Sulemana, Nabsong Nasiru Yakubu

Nature of offence: Possession of firearm and ammunition without authority, and Murder.

Date of arrest: 21/6/22

Place of arrest: Sing-Natinga

Exhibits involved: One (1) AK 47 assault rifle, 320 live rounds of 7.69/39 mm calibre ammunition, fifty (50) live rounds of AK 47 ammunitions, three (3) AK 47 empty magazine, one locally manufactured pistol, one (1) BB live cartridge.

Status of Case: Pending in Court and Accused persons remanded into prison custody.

The Chief Justice and the Attorney General are aware that the Government spends approximately ten (10) million cedis every month on the Security Agencies in Bawku and its environs. Can they imagine what ten (10) millions cedis every month can be used for inthe development of Bawku?

Of what use is it that the Bawku Security Operatives engage in kinetic operations, arrest suspected criminals, cause them to be arraigned before Court only to face a decadent, sloppy and slovenly system of Justice?!!

Cover up is worse than the crime!

I shall return!

Owula Mangortey
Bawku
5th March, 2023