Do not take the law into your own hands-Police tell vagrants
webmasterThe Municipal Police Commander of the Asokore Mampong Municipality, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Jibirim Bala has cautioned vagrants to report abuses against them to the police and not to retaliate.
DSP Bala was speaking at a sensitization workshop on the bye-laws of the Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly (AMMA) where participants raised concerns about increasing insecurity in the Municipality.
He advised the participants to desist from taking the laws into their own hands in defending themselves and warned that the law will deal with anybody who does not use lawful means to access justice.
The programme formed part of the implementation of the CCF-OSIWA partnership dubbed, Decriminalizing Vagrancy Laws and Advocacy project which seeks to create an enabling environment for vagrants to know, claim and exercise their rights and responsibilities in Ghana.
The programme brought together officials of the Assembly, the leadership of various informal sector groups, including market women, truck pushers, transport associations, beauticians, hawkers, waste contractors, scrap dealers, the Ghana Federation of Disability, transport unions and the media.
The police chief entreated the vagrants to follow due processes in seeking justice because the law will not be lenient on them despite their status.
“We have had a lot of such complains of people taking the laws into their own hands so we plead with you to come to the police to report abuses than fighting for yourselves. The law will deal with anybody accordingly if the person is caught in such acts.” He threatened.
Officials of the AMMA took participants through the bye-laws of the Assembly.
About OSIWA
The Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), established in 2000, is a grant-making and advocacy organization focused on equality, justice, democratic governance, human rights, and knowledge generation. It is part of the global network of Open Society Foundations spread across 37 countries around the world.
