The Head of Legal Affairs of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Abraham Amaliba, has said that the people who should be sent to court in line with the #OccupyJulorBiHouse protest should be the policemen who manhandled protestors.

Reacting to news that some of the protestors who were illegally arrested by the police on the first day of the three-days civic action, the NDC lawyer said instead of the innocent civilians who were only exercising their constitutional mandate, it is the police rather who should be prosecuted.

“Today, I’m being told that some of the demonstrators will be sent to court. Those who are supposed to be in court this morning are the policemen who attacked innocent Ghanaians, who attacked lawyers, and not the demonstrators who were simply out there to do what the constitution allows them to do,” he said during his appearance on the Friday, September 22, 2023, edition of TV3 NewDay.

Abraham Amaliba further wondered why the Ghana Police Service headed to court when it believed it already had the powers to stop the demonstration anyway.

He added that the fact that the police went to court is an indication that they trusted the judicial system to handle the issues, but their actions have proved otherwise.

“If the police knew that they could stop this demonstration anyway, why did they head to court? If you go to court, what it means is that you have submitted the dispute to court and the court must settle that dispute.

“And so, you don’t go to turn, and turn around and use brute force as if we are in the colonial period,” he added.

After what was a tension-filled day, with several arrests, assaults and harassments, on the first day of the planned 3-day protest against the government by the #OccupyJulorBiHouse protestors, the group has geared up for their second day.

A statement signed by the convenors of #FixTheCountry, a major part of the leadership of the protest, said that regardless of the fallouts of their first day, people should come out to support them.

The group also showed appreciation to all the professionals who came out to support them, including lawyers and journalists, while condemning the several assaults of the police on the peaceful protesters on Day 1.

“Friends, as we prepare to step out for Day 2 of the #OccupyJulorBiHouse, we want to take time out to acknowledge all the several individuals, including lawyers, journalists, social voices, and ordinary citizens who mobilized to provide support to #FixTheCountry and the demonstrators unlawfully arrested.

“We are encouraged by your courage of conviction and sense of duty to our democracy. May posterity remember us favourably.

“We use this opportunity to condemn in the strongest of terms the assault on the lawyers, journalists and several other citizens who turned up yesterday to provide support to those who were arrested,” the statement said.

Spearheaded by the Democracy Hub, a group of young activists intended to picket the seat of government from Thursday, Saturday 21, to Saturday, September 23, 2023, to demand “the President and members of the Economic Management Team to #FixTheCountry in light of the level of economic mismanagement and theft that has engulfed our government from the highest levels.”

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