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Opinions of Saturday, 3 June 2017

Columnist: Bassing Kamaldeen

Jungle justice vs. democracy: A case study of Captain Mahama

Captain Maxwell Mahama was lynched by irate residents of Denkyira-Obuasi Captain Maxwell Mahama was lynched by irate residents of Denkyira-Obuasi

Billaw...........On the young hours of Monday this week, Ghanaians woke up to hear the bizarre news of the gruesome murder of a talented, brave and promising Military Officer by the youth of Denkyira Obuasi,in the Central Region who was placed on a national assignment.

Even though they pleaded guilty of the crime of murder to the public court, they argued out rather porous and skeletal that their action was on ‘reasonable’ grounds of mistaken identity of an armed robber. Indeed, Captain Mahama; your death has worsened my diarrhea.

Billaw…..This plea is not only balderdash and spurious but also logically defective. From the pieces of news items I have gathered so far, it appears clearly without a scintilla of doubt that Captain Mahama was targeted, hot-chased and butchered by a group of ill-informed, negatively dynamic youth who decided to test the waters of justice. Indeed, Captain Mahama, your death has worsened my diarrhea.

Billaw….It is an established fact that, this is not the first time Ghanaians have decided to have a dinner with mob justice and I refused to stop dreaming that this will as well be the end. Be that as it may, a young lady was stripped naked and have her private parts peppered just because it was alleged that, she stole some items in the Kejetia market, Kumasi.

A group of half-baked and self-styled pro-NPP supporters, notoriously known as Delta Forces stormed a whole courtroom in broad daylight and have their colleagues freed from being remanded in custody. Further, a regional security officer appointed by the president himself was ejected from office by the same elements.

Just last year, a sitting MP (JB Danquah) was murdered in cold blood in his own house. And Billaw…….the only thing you could do is to tell me that there is no evidence. Today a Captain is dead and you will come tomorrow and tell me the same story. Nonsense!! Indeed, Captain Mahama, your death has worsened my diarrhea.

Billaw…..What is however palpably wrong with Ghanaians as usual is to play politics with such a lacuna and or gap in our infantile democracy without any modicum of moral decorum, contrition and or remorse to the bereaved family, widow and the children. I have even heard outrageous suggestions reminiscent for the return of the man called Junior Jesus (JJ Rawlings) to bring instant justice to satisfy the taste of Ghanaians for justice. This suggestion is totally unfortunate and a complete display of intellectual naivety. . Indeed, Captain Mahama, your death has worsened my diarrhea.

Billaw…in the fine words of my very good friend, Martin Luther King Jr, this is not the time for us to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time for us to rise from the footprints of injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to let justice roll like waters and righteousness like mighty steam. Billaw……..go and get justice done or else I will cut off your head today. We all saw the videos and pictures even though I nearly vomited on my first sight, so I refused to watch them again. Today there is evidence. Strong evidence, in fact further and better evidence. Indeed, Captain Mahama, your death has worsened my diarrhea.

PAX VOBISCUM!!!