Get Ready For More Demos – LMVCA

The leadership of pro-opposition pressure group Let My Vote Count Alliance (LMVCA) has issued a notice to the police and government to expect more demonstrations soon.

The notice follows a victory secured by the group against the police and the attorney general over rights to demonstrate. After running battles with the Police for using court injunctions to foil their protests, the pressure group decided to head to court.

Luck smiled at them Thursday when an Accra High Court ruled in favour of the pressure group. The pro-opposition Alliance was frustrated that the Police under the pretext of upholding the Public Order Act, used injunctions to stop the group from embarking on demonstrations to support their agenda for a new voters’ register.

The police on each occasion went to the Circuit Court and obtained an injunction stopping the protests entirely or preventing the group from using certain routes. The group was dissatisfied with the conduct of the police, hence the decision to head to the courts to seek clarification on whether the Circuit Court could entertain matters arising out of the enforcement of the Public Order Act.

The High Court, presided over by Court of Appeal judge, Justice Dominic Dennis Adjei, ruled that it was improper for police officers desiring to stop a street protest, to obtain an injunction from the Circuit Court. The Judge, however, upheld that the police could only do that at a High Court with prior notice to the defendants.

Speaking to Starr News’ Ibrahim Alhassan after the judgment, convener for the alliance David Asante hailed the ruling and vowed to stage more protests in the coming days.

“It’s victory for democracy if you ask me. We have fought this battle from day one, having in mind and at heart the consolidation of our democracy. So for us this is absolutely good news.”

He added: “More demonstrations will be rolled out very soon. We are fighting to consolidate, deepen and protect our democracy.”