The Lawyers In Search Of Democracy (LINSOD), a group of like-minded Ghanaian lawyers, who are committed to playing a major role in advancing the frontiers of true democratic practice in the country has criticized President Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic Party administration for the lack of action on eight Ghanaians that were killed during the December 7 2020 general elections.
In a statement issued on Thursday, December 7 2023, the group expressed its disappointment in President Akufo-Addo for failing to take action against the perpetrators of the innocent Ghanaians who were killed during the last elections.
The group further expressed its disappointment in the Ghana Police Service for also failing to undertake investigations and subsequent prosecution of the culprits of the December 7 2020 unfortunate shooting and killing of eight Ghanaian citizens.
“Exactly three years ago, today, eight innocent Ghanaian citizens were murdered in cold blood during the 2020 general elections, by people, who were believed to be agents of the ruling NPP government of Nana Akufo Addo and Dr. Mahmoud Bawumia. Some of the killers were seen in military uniforms, or the company of the Military and/or the police. Three years after the act, there is no information about the arrest of even a single person associated with the crime. The President of the Republic and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, has never spoken about the incidents.
“The Vice President, and the Chairman of the Police Council of Ghana has also never spoken about the incidents. The police maintains a deafening silence on the murders; and surrogates and supporters of the ruling NPP government are quick to rebuff anyone who raises a question on the incidents that “investigations are ongoing.” But everyone knows that no investigation is ongoing of these murders, and so the police cannot give any updates on them, and the victims and their families shall never have justice under the current dispensation”.
Lawyers In Search Of Democracy
According to the group, the lack of action on the part of President Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic Party administration against the various individuals who engaged in such distasteful conduct cause severe damage to the country’s democracy.
LINSOD Calls On President Akufo-Addo To Take Action On Election 2020 Killings
The Lawyers In Search Of Democracy (LINSOD) based on its concerns called on President Akufo-Addo to address the country and indicate measures his administration is taking to deal with the culprit of the eight innocent Ghanaians that were killed in the December 7 2020 general elections.
According to the group, while it appreciates the effort by the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies in the country to ensure peace in the 2024 general elections in the country, it believes strongly that the inability of the government to take action against the perpetrators of December 7 2020 killings could undermine such effort.
“Just yesterday morning, we woke up to the news of a complaint by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs. Jean Adukwei Mensa that Ghana “is experiencing planned attempts to unleash violence before, during, and after the 2024 general elections. Mrs Mensa claims that the purpose of the attempts is to “dent the image of institutions such as the EC, the Police, and other security agencies” in the country. From the standpoint of LINSOD, however, the image of the aforementioned institutions was long dented by the murders during the 2020 general elections, and the inaction of the government and the police is only worsening their situation, and may just be the reason why some people may still be emboldened enough to be planning another violence for the 2024 general elections”.
Lawyers In Search Of Democracy
The Lawyers In Search Of Democracy (LINSOD) concluded by calling on the Inspector General of Police, George Akuffo Dampare to also take immediate steps to investigate the violence that accompanied the December 7 2020 election in the country.
