The National Organiser of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Henry Nana Boakye, popularly known as Nana B, has criticised the decision of the Accra Circuit Court to remand the party’s Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, also called Abronye, into police custody for one week.
Speaking to journalists after proceedings in court on Friday, September 10, Nana B expressed shock at the treatment meted out to his party member.
“This is very, very unfortunate. He’s been remanded to police custody again for another week. In fact, I am surprised that a misdemeanour could attract such high-handedness. The approach is bad.
“It’s just an abuse of his rights. You saw almost 100 policemen fully armed to the teeth. Is he a terrorist? Has he committed treason? Is it a treasonable offence?”
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He contrasted Abronye’s treatment with that of the National Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sofo Azorka, in connection with an alleged assault on Alhaji Masawudu Osman, the third National Vice Chairman of the opposition NPP, during the Akwatia by-election.
“Even when we were in court, we saw a news item where Sofo Azoka, who was arrested, had been granted bail and directed to appear before the court on September 16.”
He further recalled that the NPP had officially petitioned the Inspector General of Police over another threat from the NDC’s Abuakwa North Constituency Communications Officer, Alhaji Abdul Wahab Amadu, but had yet to receive any response.
“This is somebody who says that he’s going to kill the Minority leader, Afenyo-Markin, Annoh-Dompreh, and my good self, and the person is still walking free. And we have somebody who’s been slapped with charges which are misdemeanours, and then the person is being treated as if he’s a hardened criminal,” he said.
Nana B further accused State institutions of bias and politically motivated actions against NPP members.
“It looks like an unfair application of the law. The bias is becoming too much. We are going to rise against this unfortunate treatment. It looks like State institutions are being weaponised to humiliate the New Patriotic Party,” he said.
He also raised concerns about the police’s request for more time to investigate, insisting their own documents indicated forensic work was already complete.
“The police say that they need more time for the investigation, that is all. Meanwhile, in their own charges, they had stated that they had completed their forensics. The police are unprepared. So, the fact that they are unprepared means that he should be kept in police custody for another week?. Very unfair,” he said.
“We are of the view that State institutions are being weaponised unfairly, unduly against due process to harass members of the New Patriotic Party, and we are going to rise against this,” he added.