IGP/Dr. George Akuffo Dampare
The Ghana Police Service have taken exception to a sarcastic tweet by the British High Commissioner to Ghana about the purported arrest of Oliver Barker-Vormawor over a traffic offence.
Her tweet, “Oliver Barker-Vormawor, convener of #FixTheCountry movement, arrested again, I understand for a motoring offence on his way to court. I’ll be interested to see where this goes…” has suffered massive blows from the law enforcement department for crossing the red line of diplomacy.
An outright interference in the internal affairs of the country, according to the police, was made from an uninformed and biased position.
The “arrested again” element in the tweet, according to the police statement signed by the IGP/Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, “must mean you were making reference to the previous occasions Mr. Barker-Vormawor was arrested for threatening the security of the state, and recently for motor traffic offences.”
Explaining the circumstances underpinning the arrest of the man who is in court for charges relating to the destabilisation of the state, the police stated that the man threatened the security of the state by stating his intention to stage a coup.
He furthered his intention by describing the Army as “useless”, for not rising against the government, adding “these same threats have subsequently been repeated by Mr. Barker-Vormawor on his social media handles.”
The “coup monger”, the police explained, “was arrested and taken through due process and was granted bail by a court of competent jurisdiction. That matter is still pending before the law courts.”
On Tuesday, May 17, 2022, “Mr. Barker-Vormawor was among other drivers who were arrested separately for road traffic offences. They were all arraigned before the courts, where some pleaded guilty, was granted bail by the court and was released after fulfilling the bail conditions.”
The police expressed surprise that the envoy has singled out the “coup monger” for her tweets, and posed rhetorically the question: “Are we to understand that you are concerned about the law enforcement process in Ghana or only to your person of interest?”
Referring to how the British reveres her military and police personnel, Ghana too does same for their local counterparts, the statement said.
“As our former colonial power and the source of our legal, judicial and criminal justice architecture and indeed, of our Police Service, we continue to look up to Britain among other countries for guidance with regard to how difficult situations are handled,” the statement pointed out.
In another hit, the police referred the envoy to the description of some faith-based bodies in Britain as terrorists because of pronouncements they made, which were regarded as national security threats. “They were branded as terrorists, arrested, prosecuted and in some cases were extradited,” adding “this we believe your country did in her quest to safeguard the security of the state and ensure the sustenance of the peace the inhabitants enjoy.”
The hard-hitting statement asked the British envoy whether in her country people are openly allowed to threaten the state with a coup, and whether her country’s criminal justice system celebrates such persons and urge them to destabilise her country.
Another question posed by the police is, “as a Foreign Service Officer, even though you might not have personal experience, you doubtless have access to the records of the periods of unrest and coups in Ghana: are you really wishing on us, a return to those times?”
The police asked the envoy whether in Britain traffic offenders are not pulled over by law enforcement officers.
“Do you know of any instances where Ghanaian diplomats in Britain have involved themselves in your internal affairs?” was another question posed by the police.
She was also asked whether she knows about high profile personalities arrested and prosecuted for road traffic offences in the country, and whether she is interested in the number of lives lost through road traffic breaches.
“Have you taken note of the innovations being introduced by the Ghana Police Service in recent times to deepen discipline, law and order?” the police quizzed.
The final blow to the diplomat was the Akan saying, “learn to keep within the limits of what concerns you.”
Oliver Barker-Vormawor made threatening remarks of national security implications and was arrested and put before court.
By A.R. Gomda