News

Friday, March 11, 2016

The NPP Party

The New Patriotic Party announces with shock, deep regret and dismay the death of Salifu Ahmed Maikanka, a strong activist and foot soldier of the Party who is alleged to have been beaten brutally by the police resulting in his death. The Party notes with anxiety and concern the indecent haste with which the Police who are being accused of brutalising Ahmed Maikanka to his death, have rushed to go and collect the body of the victim for post –mortem to be conducted by the police themselves. In the first place, the man did not die in police custody. Secondly the police are not part of the deceased’s family. What interest does the police have in the matter such that they will rush, without any invitation from the family, to go for the victims’ body for autopsy?

Are the police now going round collecting dead bodies for post-mortem by the police hospital?

We think that given the allegations leveled against the police in the role they are said to have played in the death of Maikanka, any medical report coming from the same authorised who are being accused, is most likely to be met with suspicion. The credibility of such a report could therefore be seriously undermined.

We therefore strongly object to the post-mortem on Ahmed Maikanka being conducted by the Police. In the event that the Police may already have proceeded to do a Post-mortem examination, we insist that a second and independent opinion, preferably from the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital be sought.

The performance of such an examination for purposes of validating or contravening the Police autopsy report must be conducted in the presence of medical witnesses of all interested Parties, that is the Police, the family of Maikanka and the Party.

Our own eye witness account of the brutal beating and the stamping of the victim under the boots of Police officers last night would critically challenge any Police medical report that may suggest that Maikanka could have died of natural causes. We believe it would in the interest of even the police establishment that the examination of the cause of Maikanka’s death is done in such a transparent manner as to save the Police any public suspicion or even direct accusations of wrong doing.

Meanwhile, the New Patriotic Party hereby demands that the former Minister of Information, Hon. Asamoah Boateng is properly arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction without delay if the BNI had any case against him. If indeed the BNI have secured the necessary arrest warrant with which “Asa B” has been arrested, and then they have no legal justification to hold him for the maximum 48hours. We also insist that his wife, family and lawyers are told the whereabouts of Mr. Asamoah Boateng. We must also be told exactly what his charges are, so that the rule of law is not trampled under feet.

The NPP is not saying that if any member of the Party has gone against the law, he or she ought to be shielded. What we are vehemently opposed to is the abuse of power, disregard for proper procedure, a disregard of the rights of citizens and a lack of respect for the rule of law; as such acts would be fiercely resisted by the Party.

Ghanadot