NPP executives head for court
In spite of the recent crisis meeting held by the national executive of the New Patriotic Party to calm down tension within the Greater-Accra Region branches of the party, victims of an alleged assault during a recent constituency meeting in the Ablekuma South Constituency are preparing to go court to seek justice.
According to the alleged victims, they re proceeding to court because the national executive have not done enough to address the recent brutalities meted out to them by cutlass wielding thugs allegedly hired by constituency chairman, William Akakpo, and some senior members of the regional executive, Ben Brown and Sammy Crabbe.
Two of the victims, Mr. John Addo and Nii Djabam Abbey, who spoke to The Independent also pointed out that, the assault issue is not a party matter, but one of crime, and that the law must take its course.
“It is a matter between life and death, and so when your life is threatened by anybody, you should go to court, since it is a criminal matter,” John Addo, who is also a polling station chairman, blurted out.
John Addo also alleged that Mr. Ben Brown came to his house to offer him an amount 1.5 million cedis immediately after the brutalities at the constituency meeting to ostensibly pacify him, but he stuck to his guns and rejected the offer since it was an insult to his intelligence.
According to him, he has photo copies of the amount, which was made up of a million cedi cheque and 500,000 cedis in cash and would provide them as evidence any time !he is challenged.
According to the victims, who showed copies of medical reports and parts of their bodies that sustained injuries during the assault, they have discussed the matter with their lawyers, and so affirmed that they will file assault charges against the perpetrators by the close of next week.
The enraged party members also lashed out at the national executive, who they accused of not implementing the party's constitution to the letter.
They pointed out that, Article 4 sub section 7(ii) and (IV) of the party's constitution spells out clearly the punishment that should be handed down to party members who engage in violence and cause harm to other party members and destruction to party properties respectively.
The party members also alleged that contrary to the decision taken by the national executive at the recent crisis meeting that the current Ablekuma South Constituency executive led by William Akapko should not organise any constituency meeting till an amicable solution is found to the problems, they are going round organising meetings.
They pointed out that, they have evidence that Akakpo and his men held meetings at some locations in Korle Gonno and Dansoman.
When The Independent contacted Mr. Akakpo, he denied that he hired thugs to mete out brutalities to some of the polling station chairmen and urged them to bring out concrete evidence to back their claims.
He claimed that, he (Akakpo) should rather be suing Madam Theresa Tagoe for assault.
When Ben Brown was contacted, he denied ever trying to offer 1.5 million cedis to John Addo. He however pointed out that he is a businessman, and that every now and then he gives out money to people.
Mr. Brown, who is the Greater-Accra Region Secretary of the party, also denied ever using thugs at the said constituency meeting to intimidate polling station chairmen.
He maintained that he is embroiled in the fracas just because of his commitment to adherence to the party's constitution.