Former Member of Parliament and a private legal practitioner, Inusah Fuseini, has intimated that the Speaker wants to understand the scope and trajectory of the military-civilian brutalities.
According to Inusah Fuseini, the Speaker might be looking at the larger picture and not just what happened in the last elections.
“…as to whether it has been a recurring thing, its intensity, the context within which such brutalities have happened and so he will need a comprehensive study of military-civilian brutalities since we became a fourth republic.”
Inusah Fuseini
Mr. Fuseini intimated that the only way to probe the country’s security agencies on extra judicial killings, will be to set up a committee in that regard.
“To see why we have been losing lives through Police brutalities, we need to understand [certain] things so that we can take remedial actions to ensure that those things don’t happen. The legal foundation for trying to understand that clearly will rest with the committee of enquires established under the constitution.”
Inusah Fuseini
According to Inusah Fuseini, the Speaker’s request for the probe into the brutalities and the #FixTheCountry conveners clash with the Police is just coincidental and not because of the clash that happened.
“Parliament works independent of what any other other institution thinks or wants to do. So, this is part of Parliament working and Parliament will work for the people. And so, if the Speaker thinks this is the appropriate time to constitute a committee of Parliament to look into military or police brutalities since 1993, then so be it.”
Inusah Fuseini
Commenting also on the Police’s explanation as to why the #FixTheCountry conveners cannot carry on with their intended demonstration, he was of the view that the conveners have unwittingly played into the hands of the Police. He explained that because they added certain aspects to their letter to the Police, the Service is also riding on that to prevent them from embarking on that demonstration.
“If you put in your notice to the Police that you intend to have access to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation’s TV and speak to the nation, in what capacity would you be doing that? What is the implication for public safety and public security?”
Inusah Fuseini
Aftermath of demonstration cannot be anticipated
According to Inusah Fuseini, nobody can anticipate what could probably happen after the demonstration. He added that if the conveners truly present the petition orally to the IGP, it will be difficult to assess the content of the petition.
“Somehow, even though they have their legitimate rights, they have played into the hands of the Police.”
Inusah Fuseini
However, the legal practitioner posited that he does not agree with the fact that the nature of the demonstration is not in tandem with the constitution or the public order act.
“Yes, they have the right to demonstrate and they have chosen the route. They say they are starting from circle, march to GBC and then to the Police Headquarters to present an oral petition to the IGP and they will then continue to the flag staff house. Clearly, their route is quite determined.”
Inusah Fuseini
Inusah Fuseini insinuated that some of the proposed activities by the conveners might create problems for the Police. He stated that it is in this context that he understands why the Police is behaving the way it is behaving.
Inusah Fuseini’s comments came after the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin requested for a probe into military-civilian brutalities since 1993.
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