The Former President Jerry John Rawlings has stated that people tend to take the laws into their own hands when justice is not delivered.

According to him, innocent lives are lost through acts of cruelty when the law does not offer people justice.

He condemned the gruesome murder of Captain Maxwell Mahama by an irate youth at Denkyiraboase in the Central region describing it an ‘act of cruelty’.

The former military leader in a statement said, ‘Your loss is a loss to the whole country. Your husband, son and brother lost his life serving his country. Taking the law into our hands in the manner the perpetrators of the act did was an act of cruelty. When the law does not seem to be giving people justice, such acts of cruelty resulting in the unfortunate loss of innocent life, is the end result’.

He entreated the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to remain calm as investigations go on.

‘However, I implore the affected institution to remain calm as the security agencies investigate the matter,’ he urged.

Mr Rawlings advised the security agencies to inspire confidence in the populace by acting swiftly when crimes are committed to avert such acts by civilians.

‘I call on the security agencies and the law courts to inspire confidence in the populace by acting swiftly and effectively when crimes are committed in our communities. The recent acts of violence in Somanya and Kumasi cannot be taken in isolation. They go to expose a weakness in the general response to crime.” he said.