The counsel for the arrested members of pro-NPP vigilante group, "Delta Force", lawyer Matthew Appiah says the public including the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) is too quick to condemn "Delta Force" in the uproar which happened at the Kumasi Circuit Court on last Thursday.
According to him, apportioning blame to "Delta Force" for the upheaval is out of place as it was the sole responsibility of the state security to protect the court including the judge and the people at the court room.
Speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, lawyer Matthew Appiah insisted the blame should be laid squarely at the failure of the state security as they could have determined reaction and control the crowd in such a crucial case.
“To me, whatever happened at the court, nobody should condemn 'Delta Force'. It is the failure of the state security; the blame should be laid squarely at the failure of the state security because how do you determine the reaction of the crowd at such a crucial case like this? Crowd control is everywhere and the police should have known this is a potential case,” he stressed.
He however urged the critics to disassociate politics from the incident just to score political points by blaming the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) as the party behind the commotion which took place at the Circuit court.
“Nobody should blame anybody and say that NPP is behind the incidence at the court; that shouldn’t be the case. Whose duty was it to make sure that the court was protected? And if anything happens, do you go and blame a political party for it? They have brought their people to court to face trial; the court protection is not the responsibility of the political party. It is the police that should protect the court,” he argued.
He added that the IGP did well by admitting that the police did not do its work well to ensure peace and orderliness at the court; thus “if they had done the right thing, this thing should not have happened.”
“It should be the responsibility of the state security to make sure that the court, judge, the people who come to court and everybody is protected. That is why if you go to court, we have CWO who must make sure the judge is protected including the lawyers because our lives are at risk . . . the police should sit up,” he pointed out.
Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com
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As much as i condemn the behavior of Delta force,i also think the police response contributed to the situation. But the police can not take much blame because these were suspects on police inquiry bail. How come the judge reminded them in police custody for 2 weeks? For what reason did the judge gave that judgement? In my little knowledge with the law, the judge erred in reminding suspects who were already on police inquiry bail to 2 weeks remind. The police did not beef up security at the court because they did not anticipate the judge to give that judgement.Hence the chaos. But all NDC party executives should ***barred word*** because they brought such violent with impunity behavior in our beloved Ghana.May Allah bring peace to Ghana in order for our visionary and competent president to help develop Ghana.Ameen.
Clap for the lawyer.Amazing! If people out of the their own volition go ahead to commit a crime wilfully, we should not blame the but blame the police for their crime? Well, the police no doubt have their part of blame but these Delta Force chaps must answer totally for their crime.does the lawyer want to say that when somebody goes to steal and he is caught, he must be set free because the police were unable to prevent the commission of the crime? Please do well to put up a proper defence for your clients. This is not a joking matter!
If we have less read people like @ abeiku aidoo who doesn't understand anything in Ghana, what do you expect? People changing on courts do happen even in the USA (peole's heaven)
What is crucial when criminals have been arraigned before court to be dealt with. It's unimaginable the way some so called educated people think. People who have manhandled a security coordinated should be pampered. God save Ghana.
This is the most senseless lawyer I have ever heard speaking. Is he really a member of NPP? I am sorry there are so many fuuuulls parading as lawyer. Many people have been remanded in Ghana so many years and times, did you hear they were freed by thugs. How can you blame the police for this barbaric act. You don't need thousand police to guard a court if people are law-abiding. The guys simply broke the law and must rot in jail. Only ediots will try to shift blame.