A prominent opposition politician in Ghana, Koku Anyidoho is facing “treason” charges after he was arrested on Tuesday for reportedly calling for a “civil revolt” or “civil coup” against the government.
Anyidoho who is also the deputy General Secretary of Ghana’s main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has spent two days in police custody after his arrest and is yet to be arraigned formally after he was denied bail.
His arrest on Tuesday following his comment on a local radio station in Accra led to some disturbances from opposition supporters who had gathered at the police headquarters in Accra to demand his release.
Police are accused of shooting into the crowd with some supporters sustaining injuries and journalists assaulted as well.
@GhPoliceService beating up a journalist for covering an event when @OfficialNDCGh leader was arrested! This is unacceptable! #NoUSBaseInGh @ZylofonMedia @IsaacKaledzi @francis_abban @georgeoaddo @benkoku @eugeniatenkoran @KojoAB @THEKojoYankson @faridaShaibu @MinnaDablu pic.twitter.com/cBh5obQ2I8
— JOHN-TERRY TWEETER (@JohnTerryTresh) March 29, 2018
Anyidoho had said on local radio that “someone should tell Nana Addo ( the president) that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself,” referring to the 1972 military coup which led to the overthrow of Nana Akufo-Addo’s father Edward Akufo-Addo who was then president of the country.
The opposition politician’s comments follows recent decision by the government to sign a deal with the US government to allow for the deployment of its troops in Ghana.
NEWS RELEASE: KOKU ANYIDOHO’S CASE – POLICE WILL FOLLOW DUE PROCESS #GhanaPoliceNewsRelease pic.twitter.com/TCUxMyRYkP
— Ghana Police Service (@GhPoliceService) March 28, 2018
The Director General of the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service, Maame Yaa Tiwaah Addo-Danquah is quoted by local media as saying that “Currently, he is under arrest based on the remarks that he made about history repeating itself and we just started the investigations,”
“Whatever the outcome, we will let the public now, we will not bend them (rules) or amend them because of him” she added.
Ghana’s former President, John Mahama who is also from the NDC party had visited the politician in custody on Wednesday evening and was seen in pictures smiling.
Former President @jdmahama visited detained NDC Dep. Gen. Secretary Koku Anyidoho at the BNI offices in Accra#MetroTV pic.twitter.com/SuJzfWFiO2
— Metro TV Ghana (@metrotvgh) March 28, 2018
Another former president, Jerry John Rawlings has also called for calm and urged for proper investigations.
— Jerry John Rawlings (@officeofJJR) March 28, 2018
Source: Africafeeds.com
