The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service is expected to release the outcome of investigations into alleged violence that occurred during the voter registration exercise.
This follows months of investigations by a taskforce constituted by the Inspector General of Police, James Oppong Boanuh.
His action follows allegations and reported cases of violence and voter intimidation at registration centres across the country.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) had accused government and security agencies of scheming to disenfranchise the party’s supporters.
But speaking to the media on the sidelines of a virtual prosecution workshop for police prosecutors, the Director-General of Legal and Prosecution of the Police, COP Nathan Kofi Boakye said a comprehensive report will be ready soon.
“The whole thing is with the CID now. The IGP set up a small task force to look at all the various offences that came up during the registration process. I think that in due course, the CID will let you know where they have reached with their investigations and prosecutions. Investigations take time and most often than not, it is not a one-sided thing. It needs the corporation of the electoral officers, it needs the cooperation of the polling agents and everybody.”
There were pockets of violence during the registration exercise in some areas.
A 28-year-old man was allegedly stabbed at a registration centre at Banda in the Bono Region following an altercation between some New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters.
In Awutu Senya East, a shooting also occurred during a confrontation between persons believed to be aligned to the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress.
Both sides claimed they were attacked by each other leading to the shooting and subsequent arrest of four persons.
Four persons were arrested in connection with the incident.
Peace Council urges more transparency from police probes
The National Peace Council is asking the Police Service to be more transparent with investigations into the incidents of violence recorded during the voter registration exercise.
The National Chairman of the National Peace Council, Rev. Prof Emmanuel Asante, told Citi News the police needed to “institute a platform that will regularly inform the public about the progress of such ongoing investigations.”
He stressed that it was important to influence the perception of the Ghanaians because “people think that when people do these things, they get away with it.”
“They should ensure that people who flouted the law and did what was wrong must be brought to book… It is their responsibility. It is the responsibility of the law enforcement agencies to crack the whip when these things do happen,” the Peace Council Chairman added.