June 4 Armed Demo: Letter Originator ‘Sick’, Arrest Him – Captain Smart
Radio personality and social activist, Blessed Godsbrain Smart (Captain Smart) has dissociated himself from a letter informing the police about an armed demonstration on June 4, 2022.
Captain Smart is part of a group which had planned to hold a three-day protest, including picketing at the Jubilee House and the police headquarters, over “poor governance”.
The group also cited extra-judicial killings and police brutality.
They had also demanded a live address on Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) to communicate their concerns.
Meanwhile, a member of the ‘fixthecountry’ group, Captain Smart is livid over the decision to arm protestors and contract a private company to provide security during the demonstration.
This was contained in a letter dated May 25, 2022, bearing his name to seek clearance from the police, of which he said he was unaware.
Captain Smart found the content of the letter unacceptable and called for the arrest of the originator in an interview to clarify the development.
Media personality, Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah, lawyer and convener of the #FixTheCountry Movement Oliver Barker-Vormawor, and Benjamin Darko were named in the letter as the organisers of the demonstration.
But Captain Smart held the view that the letter was put together unilaterally by Oliver Barker-Vormawor.
“I am tempted to believe that Oliver Barker-Vormawor is the originator of the said letter … I am tempted to believe that he is the one who wrote that letter.
“And I think that this is criminal, it is against the supreme interests of this country, it doesn’t depict the demand of the youth,” he pointed out.
According to Captain Smart, Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah had told him that he did not “know anything about that”.
“Nobody told me about the content, and I am even surprised that the police allowed somebody to deposit such a letter without picking the person up because there were no signatures,” Captain Smart explained on Wednesday, 1st June, 2022.
He continued: “If there were signatures, then it is a criminality because it means someone forged my signature”.
“Yes, we want the right things to be done. But I don’t support violence and not in any way would I want to have a blade in my hand to demonstrate. We did the first demonstration without even a stick… whoever wrote that letter is sick,” he stated in an interview on 3FM.
In a related development, the police have declined to approve the request citing a breach of public order and safety.
In a press release issued 1 June 2022, the law enforcement agency said although it was willing to provide protection for any lawful demonstration in the country, the nature of this demonstration was inconsistent with the Public Order Act.
“We are therefore unable to provide security for a demonstration which is in flagrant violation of the Public Order Act, 1994 (Act 49) and has the potential to result in a breach of public order and public safety,” the release noted.
The statement signed by Chief Inspector Bright Kwabena Danso has asked the organisers to reconsider the nature and character of their intended demonstration.
“The Service has reached out to the organisers to reconsider their proposal and work with the police towards the organisation of a lawful, peaceful, and successful demonstration.
“We wish to assure the public that in the interest of public safety and security, the Police are putting in place all necessary measures to ensure that unauthorised persons do not march the streets with weapons,” the statement added.