{"id":96122,"date":"2025-09-28T02:05:27","date_gmt":"2025-09-28T02:05:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=96122"},"modified":"2025-09-28T02:05:27","modified_gmt":"2025-09-28T02:05:27","slug":"were-beginning-to-pride-ourselves-on-arrests-instead-of-prosecution-analyst-slams-states-arbitrary-use-of-power","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=96122","title":{"rendered":"We\u2019re beginning to pride ourselves on arrests instead of prosecution \u2013 Analyst slams state\u2019s \u2018arbitrary\u2019 use of power"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Energy analyst and former New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer aspirant Kwadwo Poku has sharply criticised the government\u2019s approach to law enforcement, arguing that state security agencies have developed a worrying trend of prioritising arrests and imposing arbitrary bail conditions over formal prosecution.<\/p>\n

Speaking on Joy News\u2019 Newsfile<\/em><\/strong> programme on Saturday, September 27, Mr. Poku asserted that the state\u2019s focus on high-profile detentions and stringent bail requirements is being used as a tool for political intimidation, thereby undermining the rule of law and the constitutional liberties of citizens.<\/p>\n

The analyst warned that law enforcement agencies appear to treat the process of arrest and inquiry as an end in itself, rather than a necessary step towards a judicial determination of guilt.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe\u2019re beginning to pride ourselves on the arrest than the investigation and prosecution,\u201d Mr. Poku stated emphatically. <\/p>\n

He noted that the true measure of justice lies in the prosecution process, where evidence is tested in court, but observed a significant imbalance in the current system.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

He highlighted a growing trend where numerous citizens, including political critics, are frequently called in for \u2018inquiry\u2019 by state apparatuses, such as National Security, only to be subjected to punitive and seemingly arbitrary bail terms.<\/p>\n

READ ALSO: NDC undermined Akufo-Addo\u2019s anti-galamsey fight \u2014 Kwadwo Poku<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I have done something wrong and you call me in for an inquiry, let it be an inquiry. What we have seen, and it\u2019s become a trend, is that bail conditions are now becoming as if the person is charged,\u201d he asserted.<\/p>\n

Mr. Poku pointed out that the volume of individuals called in for questioning is extremely high, yet the number of those subsequently charged and taken to court is \u201cminimal\u201d. <\/p>\n

This disparity, he argued, suggests the entire process is designed to harass, intimidate, and exhaust individuals, rather than genuinely investigate criminal offences.<\/p>\n

He cited instances involving high-profile political figures, such as those related to the controversies surrounding Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi) and Kwame Baffoe (Abronye DC), whose bail conditions became public flashpoints for debate on the excessive use of executive power.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe harassment of the Abra and the Wontumi example is the very reason why we are saying that the freedom of speech exists,\u201d he contended, adding that often, investigators possess insufficient evidence prior to inviting persons: \u201cThey are calling them on frivolous [grounds], and when you go there\u2026 they are now telling you to go and justify something. They are asking you. It\u2019s like a conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The former flagbearer aspirant stressed that the erosion of fair investigative practices poses a direct threat to the bedrock of Ghana\u2019s democratic system. He drew a parallel to the principles of separation of powers, where the Judiciary acts as the essential check on the Executive arm.<\/p>\n

Mr. Poku referenced the famous statement by an American President, saying: \u201cHe said that no person is above the law and no person is beyond its protection.\u201d<\/p>\n

He invoked the memory of Martyrs Day (June 30th), a date set aside by the legal profession in Ghana, to serve as a stark reminder against tyranny. He urged the Judiciary to remain resolute in its constitutional duty to protect the liberties of citizens and uphold due process.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe look to one institution or one pillar of society, that\u2019s why we had the three arms of government, the judiciary to protect us. You sleep well because you know that when somebody trumps on your liberties, you can go to get redress from the courts,\u201d he concluded, stressing that the Judiciary must resist any influence that compromises its neutrality and the fairness of bail applications.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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