Eight (8) persons have been fined a total of GH¢48,000 – GH¢6,000 each over the violence that characterised the parliamentary election re-run in Ablekuma North in July this year.
The fine has received mixed reaction with some describing it as ‘paltry’ and too lenient to deter political violence in the country.
Mohammed Abubakari, Tijani Mahmudu, Prince Dzakpasu, Anas Mohammed, Mohammed Hamda, Darko Otibu Samuel, Musah Muntari, and Ali Saeed aka Bomba, were convicted on August 27, 2025 by a Circuit Court in Accra and granted bail to reappear on August 29 for sentencing.
The court, presided over by His Honour Isaac Addo, subsequently fined the convicts 500 penalty units each, translating into GH¢6,000 each. In default, they faced a 24-month jail time.
Checks by DAILY GUIDE indicate that all the eight (8) were able to pay the fine and have been set free.
But the sentence has generated talks as many think the ex-convicts should have been charged under the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act, 2019 (Act 999), which prescribes stiffer punishments for acts of hooliganism.
Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, speaking on TV3‘s Key Points programme on Saturday, August 30, 2025, argued that the fine was not severe enough to send a strong signal against political violence in the country.
“We need to treat political violence differently. It shouldn’t be a misdemeanor but aggravated assault. The fines imposed on the convicted eight are not deterrent enough,” he argued.
He, therefore, called for stricter punishments in such instances to safeguard Ghana’s electoral process which is highly recognised worldwide.
The ex-convicts, according to court document, assaulted former Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East, Hawa Koomson; Deputy Organiser of New Patriotic Party (NPP), Chris Lloyd Nii Kwei and Majeed Mohammed Saana, a trader.
The document noted that the convicts assaulted the complainants on July 11, 2025 when they visited the Methodist Church Polling Station to monitor the election re-run.
It stated that Hawa Koomson and Chris Lloyd Nii Kwei were initially attacked and assaulted by the convicts.
“After they were rescued by the security men at the polling station, the accused persons (convicts) proceeded to assault the 3rd complainant (Majeed Mohammed Saana), who was also at the polling centre without any provocation,” the document said.
It further stated that all the complainants were rescued and taken to Odorkor Police Station and Regional CID where they formerly lodged a complaint of assault.
Police Medical Forms were issued to them after which they proceeded to the hospital for treatment.
The convicts were subsequently arrested. The document added that they all denied the allegations in their caution statements.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak