By Onipa Ba

The recent incident in which an alleged lady thief fell victim to sexual assault by vigilante mob in Kumasi is very unfortunate. In another forum at Ghanaweb, I asked for the lady's name, tribal identity and occupation.

An identical incident took place on the campus of the University of Ghana, (Legon, Accra) a few years ago in which a lady was alleged to have stolen a lap top computer belonging to a student at the hostel. According to the news report it was not a one time incident and the lady had made it a business enterprise of frequently stealing the laptops and passing them over to lap top dealers in town to sell.

The lady was subjected to the same sexual assault as was received by the victim in Kumasi. In the Legon incident, the name of the victim was given and one could tell that she was either of northern Ghana, northern West Africa or Nigerian derivative.

To the extent these victims are females a statement made by former president H.E. J. A. Kufuor while in office is fully applicable to these two unfortunate incidents. President Kufuor said : "Two wrongs don't equal a right" in expressing his stance on a major international military conflict. He is right.

Notwithstanding HE Kufuor's wise statement, I fell that a different set of standards must be applied when it comes to two notoriously dangerous criminals in Ghana. These victims are HARMLESS WOMEN (emphasis is mine) unlike the savage and murderous fulanis, Ghanaian and Nigerian armed robbers who will mercilessly take a life including the life of a police officer, in their crime campaigns. Therefore, I feel that the punishment far outweighs the alleged crimes of these women.

If the vigilante mobs want to do any good in the Ghanaian society, they should direct their efforts at the murderous fulanis and armed robbers in Ghana. Recently, one town in Volta Region handled a group of fulani criminals 'the right way" and I was solidly with them. I am yet to hear of the vigilante mobs nab an armed robber and bury him alive as a deterrent to other armed robbers. The arm robber is out to kill, you know.