Brutish behaviour have no place in a civilised democracy -Occupy Ghana

Pressure group, Occupy Ghana, has called on the government to establish an independent body of inquiry to investigate allegations of assault and brutality at the hands of National Security operatives leveled by Citi FM journalist, Caleb Kudah.

In a press statement dated May 14, Occupy Ghana explained their demand for an independent body of inquiry, “We have no faith that the National Security Ministry can provide a satisfactory investigation into the damning allegations. Therefore, we would like to advise the government to set up an independent body of inquiry into the matter.”

According to the Group, it is concerned that police brutality against journalists and the wider public is on the increase and being perpetrated with impunity.

“We also notice the nonchalance in verbiage and the non-subtle attempt of the Chief Director of the Ministry to brand the serious allegations and the Guantanamo Bay-style assaults as ‘interrogation’ that clearly did not respect the right of the person to a lawyer.”

According to Occupy Ghana, such brutish behaviour “have no place in a civilised democracy, a 29-year-old democratic experiment, and under a republican constitution that touts the rule of law.”

“The allegations outline a bestial culture of impunity, an animalistic disregard for basic human rights and a demonic manifestation of tendencies that have no place even in a holocaust camp,” they said.

Occupy Ghana, therefore, called for the prosecution and subsequent incarceration of those accused should the allegations be proven true.

“We are appalled and disgusted, and when proven true by an independent body, we demand that the perpetrators so named, be charged with nothing less than the crime of attempted murder, tried, convicted, jailed, and dismissed from the employment of the government without any benefits,” it said.