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The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) David Asante-Apeatu to re-arrest the 13 accused persons who were freed from court by some members of pro-NPP vigilante group, Delta Force earlier today.

The GBA condemned the attacks by the Delta Force at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Circuit Court earlier today.

The Association, in a statement, expressed utter shock at the group's action which it described as "blatant disregard for the orders of a duly constituted court of law and attack on the Judge in the discharge of her lawful duties. This is an affront to the independence of the Judiciary and an attack on the rule of law".

The GBA stressed that the vigilante's action was "unacceptable", endangers the country's peace and "creates room for anarchy, chaos and lawlessness" which is alien to the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

"Such glorification of violence, dastardly acts and threat to our Judiciary cannot be tolerated or allowed under our democratic dispensation. It is totally unacceptable under whatever pretence to disobey orders of the court, attack or threaten to attack the person of the judge thereby endangering the peace of our country.

"The GBA notes that any system that allows an individual, group of persons or institutions to disobey orders made by a court of competent jurisdiction with impunity undermines the independence of the judiciary, creates room for anarchy, chaos and lawlessness. This certainly has no place under the 1992 Constitution of Ghana", the statement further read.


Full statement below:

GHANA BAR ASSOCIATION'S STATEMENT ON THE "DELTA FORCE" ATTACK ON THE KUMASI CIRCUIT COURT AND FREEING ITS MEMBERS ON 6TH APRIL 2017


The Ghana Bar Association is shocked and horrified at the news item and video recordings which have gone viral alleging that members of the supposed "Delta Force" have attacked the Circuit court in Kumasi earlier today after the Circuit Court presided over by Her Honour Mary Senkyere had reportedly ordered the thirteen (13) persons who were charged with the offence on conspiracy to commit crime, assault on a public officer, causing unlawful damage and preventing a public officer from doing his lawful duty, to be remanded in custody and re-appear on the 20th day of April, 2017.

The 13 persons who the Circuit Court ordered to be remanded in custody were said to have been taken away by the members of the alleged "Delta Force" in clear disobedience of the Court's order.

The report further stated that the few police personnel present did their best to protect the Judge whilst the alleged members of the "Delta Force" destroyed some court property.

It is sickening and horrifying to watch the said videos of persons using violence as a means to defy the Court's orders.

The GBA condemns in no uncertain terms this blatant disregard for the orders of a duly constituted court of law and attack on the Judge in the discharge of her lawful duties. This is an affront to the independence of the Judiciary and an attack on the rule of law.

Such glorification of violence, dastardly acts and threat to our Judiciary cannot be tolerated or allowed under our democratic dispensation. It is totally unacceptable under whatever pretence to disobey orders of the court, attack or threaten to attack the person of the judge thereby endangering the peace of our country.

The GBA notes that any system that allows an individual, group of persons or institutions to disobey orders made by a court of competent jurisdiction with impunity undermines the independence of the judiciary, creates room for anarchy, chaos and lawlessness. This certainly has no place under the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.