The Central Prison in Kumasi became a scene of emotional trauma last week when a leading youth of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Stephen Amoah, a.k.a �Sticker�, visited supporters of the Party who were arrested three years ago during an electoral clash between the two leading political parties in the country.
Tears profusely rolled down the cheeks of the NPP youth leader, shortly after spotting four suspects, who have been in cells without trial for the past three years. Sticker, who could not stand the awful sight of the suspects, had to be restrained by wardens manning the facility amidst pleas from the suspects for the NPP youth leader and the entire leadership of the Party to come to their aid.
The four suspects namely, Majid Habib, Moro and Yahuza, were arrested during a clash between supporters of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition NPP in the Northern regional capital, Tamale during the early days of the NDC administration, and have been kept in cells since without trial. Since their arrest, the suspects have been transferred on two occasions, first from Tamale to the Navrongo cells, before finally being dumped at the Kumasi Central Prison some months ago.
They were alleged to have been caught in a crossfire during the clash that led several people injured and properties destroyed, somewhere in August 2009. According to investigations, the caution statements of the suspects have never been taken, let alone, being processed to appear before court for hearing, leaving them to continue to wallow in distress. 'Stickers' visit follows a similar one a few months ago by a founding member of the party, Mr. George Ayisi Boateng, and the first deputy Regional Chairman of the party, Alhaji Baba Sheriff.
The NPP youth leader told the Chronicle newspaper in an interview after the visit, that the case of the four suspects was very pathetic, stressing that this must not happen under the current democratic dispensation.
According to him, what was happening to the supporters of the opposition party was a case of selective justice and political torture, contending that the four were arrested because of their association with the opposition party. �We all know the violence in Tamale was not triggered by one party; it was between the NDC and the NPP, but no NDC supporters was arrested, besides it is highly unacceptable that for almost four years since their arrest, there has been no trial,� he argued.
Sticker further maintained �Assuming, without admitting, that even if these people were at fault, do they not deserve a fair trial, how can they be treated in such an inhumane manner under a government which professes to uphold the rule of law and justice?. �If President Mahama is indeed committed to his pledge of political inclusiveness and fair treatment of opponents, then this is the time for him to show it by granting freedom to these �political prisoners� who are suffering because of their affiliation with the other side of the political divide.
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