Following the arrest of some persons linked to the Bawku disturbances, a group, calling itself Bawku Mamprugu Youth Association, has raised concerns with the continued detention of the suspects.
They say the continuous detention of the men without taking them through due process is a violation of their human rights, and are therefore calling for their immediate release.
“We would want to make it clear to the government or the state that our kinsmen are being treated like animals who have been caged without any rights.”
“Our kinsmen numbering 11 men and a woman had been arrested and sent to Accra and locked up at various police cells. Our lawyers have done all that is legally possible for the police at the CID division of the police headquarter to release the suspects on bail either on police inquiry or before a court of competent jurisdiction as constitutionally required in respect of their fundamental human rights.”
“The police CID have failed or refused to meet their custody requirements imposed on them by the supreme laws of this country and have continued to unlawfully detain our kinsmen. They have now been held for over 72 hours without being taken to the court,” they said in a statement.
The group also accused the Interior Minister of preventing the release of the suspects.
“Our information is that the Interior Minister has turned himself into a court of law and given instructions that our kinsmen should not be released.”
“Whatever the reasons, only Ambrose Dery can tell. For someone who is not just a lawyer but also a law maker to wantonly break the law and gleefully state that he does not mind paying compensation to the detained for his negligence and using taxpayers’ resources to unlawfully detain our kinsmen is most disappointing,” the statement said.
The disturbances escalated on Monday, December 27, 2021, after a renewed chieftaincy clash.
There were some sporadic shootings in parts of the town following attempts to perform final funeral rites for a Chief who died about 41 years ago.
This resulted in a curfew being placed on the entire township and a ban on smock wearing.
Thirteen persons were subsequently arrested and airlifted to Accra following the violence.
The incident resulted in heavy security deployment to communities within the municipality.
