AWAL MOHAMMED ACCUSES POLICE OF TARGETING NPP VOICES, DEFENDS FREE SPEECH

A leading communicator of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Awal Mohammed, has accused the Ghana Police Service of practicing selective justice and clamping down on political opponents under the guise of law enforcement.

Speaking on Prime Insight on Joy Prime on Saturday, September 27, Mr. Mohammed argued that the arrest of individuals for insulting remarks has no basis in Ghana’s laws. “Nowhere in our statutes does it say that if I insult someone, the police can arrest me, handcuff me, and drag me to court,” he stated.

While clarifying that he does not endorse insults in politics, the NPP communicator insisted that free speech must be protected at all costs. “I have never insulted anyone in my political career, and I am against it. But we cannot criminalise free speech when the constitution guarantees it,” he noted.

Mr. Mohammed likened the current wave of arrests to the repressive practices of the 1990s. He recalled how journalists such as Malik Kwaku Baako and Alhaji Haruna Atta were jailed in 1998 until former President John Kufuor repealed the criminal libel law. According to him, the police’s recent conduct suggests a dangerous return to those days.

Citing the case of Central Regional Chairman Kwame Baffoe Abronye, Mr. Mohammed argued that the arrest and detention of his party colleague was unjustified. “All Abronye did was to criticise the IGP, describing him as the dumbest he has ever seen. The charge sheet itself shows he was targeted just for speaking his mind. That is harassment, not justice,” he claimed.

He further accused the police of publicly humiliating NPP-affiliated social media personalities such as Yayra and Fantic Comedy, alleging that videos of their arrests were circulated to embarrass them. In contrast, he argued, opposition figures from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) were shielded from similar treatment.

“As many as 200 police officers were deployed to escort Abronye to court over a misdemeanour, yet when Chief Azoka threatened a by-election, the police merely issued a statement without publishing his image. Clearly, there are double standards at play,” he asserted.

Mr. Mohammed maintained that for the police to restore credibility, they must apply the law fairly and transparently. “If you want the public’s trust, then treat everyone the same. Don’t publish NPP communicators’ faces while protecting others. Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done,” he concluded.