Forty out of
the 49 persons arrested by the Obuasi COVID-19 taskforce for flouting the
social gatherings directive have been remanded in police custody for three
weeks, by the Obuasi Circuit Court.
They included the groom, Philip Ahinakwa, 35,
and his bride, Ama Frema, 40.
All the suspects pleaded not guilty to the
charge of defying the Imposition of Restrictions Act, and the court, presided
by Ms Joyce Boahen, remanded them to reappear on May 6, 2020.
It would be recalled that the Ghanaian Times
carried the story in its April 18, edition of their arrest and bail grant.
The suspects were arrested for attending a wedding
ceremony at Akaporeso in Obuasi, without adherence to the social distance
protocols, on April 11, 2020.
According to the prosecutor, Assistant
Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kwabena Oduro Boateng, nine persons were
released after investigations revealed they were not part of the gathering.
Obuasi Municipal Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Martin Asenso, indicated that though some of the suspects fled, the statements of those arrested were taken.
He said, “The rest of the suspects ran away. There were children and youth amongst them and for humanitarian grounds, we didn’t bring them to the police station, we don’t have space for all of them here. But, we have taken their statements and granted them bail.”
“We are not saying people should not get married, but we have to respect the fact that there is a directive on social distancing protocols which have been laid down, that is the elements of the offence,” he said.
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Friday, March 27, 2020, announced the imposition of restrictions order which seeks to control the movement of people as a means to prevent the spread of COVID-19, after an already imposed ban on public gatherings on Wednesday, March 15, 2020.
By Section 6 of the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012), the minimum punishment for flouting the restrictions/lockdown announced by the President is a fine of GH₵12,000.00 or a prison term of four years or to both, according to the Ghana Police Service.
On Sunday, April 12, President Akufo-Addo by an Executive Instrument (EI) extended the duration of the restrictions imposed under EI 64 and EI 65.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI
