The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has provided update of electoral violence recorded in the last two general elections—2020 and 2024.
The sector Minister has confirmed that through investigation, some 21 suspects have been identified in connection with violence incidents during these elections, leaving 15 people dead and 40 others injured.
Briefing the media under the auspices of the Government Accountability Series on Tuesday, November 4, the Asawase constituency Member of Parliament (MP) said four suspects are currently on bail while five are on remand and the rest have warrants issued for their arrest.
Providing further details, Muntaka said the cases covers multiple regions and constituencies.
During the 2020 elections, fatalities were reported in Bono East (Techiman South), Greater Accra (Odododiodio and Ablekuma Central), Bono (Banda and Dormaa West), and Northern Region (Savelugu). Injuries in these areas ranged from one to 15 per incident.
For the 2024 elections, deaths occurred in Central Region (Awutu Senya East), Northern Region (Tolon), Savannah Region (Damango), Bono East (Nkoranza South), and Ashanti Region (Offinso North and Ahafo Ano South-West). Injuries in these areas totaled six.
The Interior Minister emphasized that authorities are working to ensure that all suspects are brought to justice, and that measures are being taken to prevent similar election-related violence in future polls.
In the special case of the Techiman South constituency during the 2020 general election, government says it has referred it to the Attorney General for compensation to families of the victims.
He also announced that the docket of the case has been referred to the Cold Case Unit of the Criminal Investigative Department (CID) of the police.
Muntaka Mubarak stated that the injuries could have been avoided had the security personnel not resorted to the use of live ammunition for crowd control.
“The use of firearms by the security personnel was not done under the command of a senior officer who could have ensured that appropriate rules of engagement were observed,” he said.
Security personnel, especially the police patrol teams at the collation centre, fired indiscriminately, and “in some cases they directed fire at the escaping crowd.
Spent shells could not be retrieved from the scene, and no bullets or projectiles were retrieved from the bodies of the deceased to assist ballistic examinations to identify which weapon caused the injuries or deaths.
It made it difficult to bring finality as to how to actually cause the injuries and deaths for now. However investigation will continue until justice is done.
The exercise by the Minister forms part of President John Dramani Mahama’s campaign promise.
By Gifty Boateng