Court stops AFAG demonstration

A Circuit Court in Accra on Friday restrained executive members, agents and all persons connected to Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), a pressure group,from embarking on “Miekukum” demonstration slated on April 18.

The court presided over by Mrs Justice Patience Mills-Tetteh, a High Court Judge sitting with additional responsibility as a Circuit Court judge,  ordered the Police to negotiate with AFAG for a convenient date.

The order came after the court had granted an ex-parte motion seeking an order to restrain AFAG from embarking on demonstration on April 18, which seeks to draw attention to alleged economic hardship in the country.

The Police had indicated to the court that the Supreme Court on April 18 will be hearing the election petition on the same day the said demonstration was expected to take place.

According to the Police, the demonstration is expected to attract about 20,000 people or more and as “such a crowd demands that Police Officers release heavy personnel to provide enough security for the demonstration”.

The Police noted that once hearing of the election petition begins, it was going to be heard on daily basis under the law and the Police was expected to provide adequate security on daily basis.

This, the Police noted would overstretched its capacity to provide security; “hence the request to the demonstrators to have the intended demonstration postponed, considering the number of people expected to participate in the demonstration, a request the organisers refused”.

The Police moved   to seek an order from the court for AFAG to post pone the demonstration.

AFAG on April 4, this year, notified the Police of an impending demonstration dubbed “Meikukum demonstration” starting from the Obra Spot at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle through Nkrumah Avenue to Parliament House.

Source: GNA