Hot SourceEight men who turned the Ablekuma North parliamentary re-run into a violent spectacle have been convicted and fined a total of GHC48,000 by the Accra Circuit Court.
The convicts – a mix of drivers, businessmen, mechanics, and traders – were found guilty of assaulting former Awutu Senya East MP, Mavis Hawa Koomson, a Deputy Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Chris Lloyd Nii Kwei, and a trader from Alajo, Majeed Mohammed Saana, during the July 11 election exercise at the Methodist Church Polling Station.
Each of the eight is to pay GHC6,000 or serve two years in jail if they default.
The men, who pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy and assault, include Jijani Mahmudu from Mamobi, Prince Dzakpasu from Newtown, Anas Mohammed from Lapaz, Mohammed Hamda from Alajo, and Darko Otibu Samuel from Amasaman. The rest are Musah Muntari from Mallam Atta, Ali Saeed from Fadama, and Al Mohammed Abubakar from Alajo.
The court, presided over by Isaac Addo, convicted them on their own pleas.
According to the prosecution, the violence broke out when Hawa Koomson and her team visited polling centres during the re-run. At the Methodist Church station, she and trader Saana were attacked by the accused. Moments later, the gang turned their fury on NPP’s Deputy Organiser, Nii Kwei, without provocation.
Security personnel stationed at the centre had to step in to rescue the victims, after which formal complaints were lodged with the Odorkor Police and the Regional CID. Medical forms were issued and treatment followed.
The accused initially denied wrongdoing in their caution statements, but investigations tied them firmly to the assaults.
While the conviction may bring some closure, the incident has once again exposed the violent underbelly of Ghana’s electoral politics. The July 11 re-run – meant to be a democratic process – descended into chaos, highlighting the growing role of hired muscle and political vigilantism.
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