Police secure injunction against #FixTheCountry movement demo

An Accra  High Court has granted the Ghana Police Service an injunction to stop the June 4 demonstration by the #FixTheCountry Movement.

The protesters while notifying the police of their intended demonstration requested to be allowed to contract a private security company to provide protection for the demonstrators.

They also requested to contract a private security personnel to be armed with weapons.

One of the conveners of the #FixTheCountry Movement, Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah, Indicated that the group cannot trust the Ghana Police Service to oversee their demonstration on June 4, hence their request to use arms and private security.

According to him, the country has witnessed several unarmed demonstrators been shot and killed by the Police, therefore, their request is to avert similar occurances on June 4

The police on the other hand declined their request.

In a press statement dated June 1, the Police explained that the nature and character of the intended demonstration contravenes the Public Order Act, 1994 (Act 49).

The Service, therefore, suggested to the group to  reschedule the date for its protest while working with the Police to organise a “lawful, peaceful and successful demonstration.”

What does PUBLIC ORDER ACT, 1994 ACT 491 say:

Section 4 notes that “Where a police officer notified of a special event under subsection (1) has reasonable grounds to believe that the special event if held may lead to violence or endanger public defence, public order, public safety, public health or the running of essential services or violate the rights and freedoms of any other  persons, the police officer may request the organiser to postpone the special event to any other date or to relocate the special event.”

Per Section 5, an organiser requested to postpone or relocate the holding of a special event shall “within forty-eight hours of the request, notify the police officer in writing of the willingness to comply.”

Section 6 adds that Where the organiser refuses to comply with the request or fails to notify the police officer, “the police officer may apply to a Justice or the chairman of a Regional Tribunal for an order to prohibit the holding of the special event on the proposed date or at the proposed location.

However, the group refused to reschedule their protest as suggested by the police.

With the resistant to comply with the directive from the Ghana police service, they filed a motion asking the high court to restrain the protestors from embarking on their armed demonstration.

Although the representatives of the #FixTheCountry Movement were served, neither they nor their lawyers were present in court.

Giving her verdict, the Judge, Comfort Kwasiwoo Tsiawoo granted the police service an injection to restrain the FixTheCountry Movement from demonstrating.

She explained that the way the protesters intend to carry out the demonstration poses a security threat.

Source: The Independent Ghana