The Chairman of the National Democratic Congress Legal Team in the Eastern Region, Lawyer Isaac Mintah Larbi has urged the Ghana Police Service to stop the Fixing The Country Movement from its intended demonstration exercise at the residence of the former President, John Dramani Mahama.
In a statement released on Thursday, October 26 2023, Lawyer Isaac Mintah Larbi expressed disappointment about the decision by the Ghana Police Service to grant the group permission to go ahead with its intended demonstration at the residence of the former president and the opposition National Democratic Congress flagbearer and leader, John Dramani Mahama.
According to him, the planned demonstration by the Fixing the Country Movement is a clear violation of the fundamental human rights of the former president and an invasion of his privacy as well.
He noted that every human being including even ‘mad people’ has the right to peace and to live their lives without unnecessary interference in same.
“I am bemused that a country that should have been priding itself on immense successes when it comes to democracy has now almost become a jungle where even the state through its influence on state institutions does not mind tacitly attacking people’s rights in clear breach of the law. What we all need to know is that in every country there are private rights and public rights. Dealing with public rights takes a different approach than it is when it comes to dealing with private rights. One of the major facets of private rights is privacy. The right not to interfere with the privacy of people in order not to disturb their peace.
Lawyer Isaac Mintah Larbi
Lawyer Accuses NPP Of Fueling Group Demonstrations
Furthermore, Lawyer Isaac Mintah Larbi accused the New Patriotic Party administration of deliberately using state institutions to undermine the Former President and the National Democratic Congress flagbearer for the 2024 general elections for cheap political gains.
The Chairman of the National Democratic Congress Legal Team in the Eastern Region thus cautioned the New Patriotic Party to advise the Fixing the Country Movement to disengage from their intended demonstration to avert any unfortunate occurrences.
“When I first read about it, I could tell this can only come from miscreants who are mostly ill-advised but coming from a party that has touted itself over the years as the party of scholars and professionals. I thought the NPP party would advise these miscreants so that they would stop their delusional behaviour. Unfortunately, it appears not just the NPP party but the NPP government through the police has sponsored this outrageous behaviour that they call a demonstration.
Lawyer Isaac Mintah Larbi
Moreover, Lawyer Isaac Minatah Larbi indicated that the 1992 constitution of Ghana recognizes the private spaces of people and unless the law allows it, no one can enter the private spaces of people and disturb their peace without their consent.
He noted that it is therefore lawful for individuals to take steps to defend their privacy in the event of an unwarranted intrusion.
According to Lawyer Isaac Larbi failure on the part of the Ghana Police Service to prevent the Fixing the Country Movement from embarking on its planned demonstration at the Former President’s residence will insinuate more of a ‘State-sponsored terrorism’ against a citizen.
“It is unbelievable that in a democracy that is more than 30 years old, a group of people in the party of the ruling government would write to the police supervised by the ruling government that they want to go and break the private rights of not only a citizen but a former President of the country and currently the flag bearer of the largest opposition party and the police see nothing wrong with that?
“To the extent that the police failed/refused to immediately warn such people of the exact nature of what they intend doing, the fact that this is an intended breach of a private right, as well as the fact that this conduct would most definitely lead to a breach of the peace which should be grounds for the police to immediately intervene, gives room to suspect that the state or the NPP party has a hand in this scandalous venture”.
Lawyer Isaac Mintah Larbi
He thus advised the former President, John Dramani Mahama to prepare adequately to defend himself, his family and his properties from what he described as a ‘state-sponsored open attack on himself, his privacy, his family and his properties’.
The Fixing the Country Movement, a pro-NPP group has expressed its dismay over the lack of progress in the Airbus Corruption investigations involving former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama and has announced its intention to protest at Mr. Mahama’s residence on November 16 2023.
The Police have agreed on the date for the planned protest by the pro-government pressure group, Fixing The Country Movement.
However, the Director of Conflict Resolution of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Lawyer Abraham Amaliba has described the police action as setting ‘a dangerous precedent’.
According to him the police actions open the floodgates for people to demonstrate at the private residences of other persons.
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