General News of Saturday, 9 August 2014

Source: GNA

Stop sending thugs to registration centres – DCOP Boakye

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Kofi Boakye, the Ashanti Regional Commander, has cautioned political party leaders to stop sending thugs to cause confusion at voter registration centres in the region.

He said this would not be tolerated and that offenders would not be allowed to get away with the impunity.

He was speaking at a meeting held with the regional leadership of four political parties – National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP), Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) and the Convention People’s Party (CPP).

This comes amid reports of violence, intimidation and seizure of registration equipment at some centres in the Kumasi Metropolis.

DCOP Boakye said the police would act firmly to stop such lawlessness to maintain peace and remove needless political tension.

He urged the leaders to rein in their deviant supporters and help them to play by the rules to allow qualified voters to get their names on the electoral roll.

The Regional Commander said all reported cases of assault, damage of registration machines and other materials would be thoroughly investigated and those found culpable, prosecuted.

Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bosomtwe, pleaded with the police to be more professional, even-handed and firm in the enforcement of the law.