‘Impotent’ vigilante bill can’t even disband land guards - Professor Kwaku Asare

Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, a US-based legal practitioner and an accounting professor has revealed that it is impossible for the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to disband Land Guards or vigilante groups in the country.

A bill has been laid before parliament for the disbandment of vigilante groups in the country with reports suggesting that some of the pro-New Patriotic Party (NPP) groups have started dissolving themselves in line with the bill.

According to some excerpts of the bill, when it is passed into law culprits are liable to a prison term of between 15 and 25 years in hard labour which is deterring enough for others not to engage in such acts.

But the legal luminary has already punched some holes in the bill indicating that it is insufficient in dealing with the situation the country is confronted with.

His argument is that that these vigilantes do not commit crimes that are not covered by the criminal law. Rather, the problem is that the crimes of vigilantes are invincible to prosecutors and where prosecuted are treated lightly by judges.

Read his take on the matter below;

The truth, even if not palatable, is that Government cannot disband so called Vigilante Groups or Land Guards or groups that are known to beat witches, or launder money, or take rent two years in advance, etc.

The stubborn truth is that these vigilantes do not commit crimes that are not covered by the criminal law. Rather, the problem is that the crimes of these vigilantes are invincible to prosecutors and where prosecuted are treated lightly by judges.

What Government can and must do is to strictly enforce the criminal law by aggressively punishing those who violate it.

Let us pass a bill that does not traverse our constitutional values.