Major (rtd) Kwadwo Boakye Djan has been slapped with a series of charges over his war comments.
The former member of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, the military regime that ruled Ghana briefly in 1979, is one of those opposing the compilation of a new voters’ register.
He recently suggested that a civil war could befall Ghana, should the Electoral Commission (EC) go ahead with plans to compile the new register.
Boakye-Djan made the controversial comments during an interview with the Accra-based Okay FM.
Arrest and charges
However, he was arrested and interrogated by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service on Tuesday.
Boakye Djan was subsequently charged with offensive conduct conducive to breach of the peace, contrary to Section 207 of the Criminal and Other Offences Act 1960 (Act 209).
This news was contained in a statement signed by the head of public affairs at the CID, Detective Superintendent of Police Juliana Obeng.
The statement however noted that Boakye Djan has since been granted enquiry bail to report once a week to the police.
NDC slams arrest
The opposition National Democratic Congress has waded in the matter, describing Boakye Djan’s arrest as unconstitutional.
In a statement, the party said the arrest smacks of political persecution and that it must not be condoned by Ghanaians.
“The purported arrest of Major Boakye Djan is nothing but political persecution and therefore unconstitutional,” sections of a statement from the party read.
“All well-meaning Ghanaians, upon listening to the comments of Major Boakye Djan, will come to one and only one conclusion: that this is an elder statesman cautioning government about its actions and inactions that could plunge this otherwise peaceful country into chaos.”
Obiri Boahen, too, faces questions
Meanwhile, the CID is also investigating the deputy general secretary of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Obiri Boahen, for making comments similar to that of Boakye Djan.
Obiri Boahen is also said to have made comments which are in breach of the country’s peace.
In a statement, the CID said the NPP’s deputy general secretary is being investigated in connection with his comments.
E A Alanore
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