Haruna, Zanetor and 18 other NDC MPs charged over unlawful march

The Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, Klortey Korley MP, Zanetor Rawlings and 18 other NDC MPs have been charged with unlawful assembly following their march to the Electoral Commission office on December 22, last year.

The 18 others include the Deputy Minority Leader, Dr James Klutse Avedzi and Minority Chief Whip,  Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, Samuel George, John Abdulai Jinapor, Rockson Defiamekpor, Ras Mubarak, Mutawakilu Adam and Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi.

The rest are Dr. Kwabena Donkor, A.B. Fuseini,  Kwabena Minta Akando, Yusif Issaka Jaja, Isaac Adongo, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, James Klutse Avedzi, James Agalga, Collins Dauda, Abdul Rashi  Pelpuo and Richard Quashigah.

In addition to the MPs, the opposition party’s deputy General Secretary, Peter Boamah Otokunor, has also been slapped with the same offence.

Per the facts, the legislators failed to notify the police before their march.

The statement of offence said they unlawfully assembled and conducted themselves “in a manner likely to cause persons in the Neighbourhood reasonable fear where a breach of the peace is likely to be occasioned.”

The legislators are expected to appear before the Accra Circuit court on January 4, 2021.

Background

The Minority in Parliament on December 22 marched to the Electoral Commission headquarters to protest the results of the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary polls.

The march came on the back of the continuous street protests by supporters of the party following the declaration of results by the chairperson of the Electoral Commission Jean Mensa.

The NDC and its flagbearer John Mahama described the results which gave President Akufo-Addo 51% of the votes as ‘flawed’.

The MPs intended to march to the EC Head office and present a petition to the Chairperson of the Commission over the results of the December elections.

But met the absence of the commissioner.