The Cost Of Impunity: Will Perpetrators Of Ablekuma North Violence Face Justice This Time?

ABSTRACT
The 11th July 2025 parliamentary rerun in Ablekuma North Constituency exemplifies Ghana’s institutionalised cycle of electoral violence and accountability failure. This analysis evaluates the likelihood of justice for perpetrators through comparative assessment of historical impunity patterns, institutional barriers, and political dynamics. Evidence indicates Ghana’s democratic stability hinges on breaking the violence-impunity linkage through prosecutorial courage, security sector reform, and internationalised justice mechanisms.

1. INTRODUCTION
Impunity as Democratic Cancer
Ghana’s electoral violence recurrence, epitomised by the assault on former MP Hawa Koomson during the Ablekuma North rerun, stems from systemic impunity. Despite constitutional guarantees (Article 3) and the Vigilantism Act (2019), zero high-profile convictions followed the 2019 Ayawaso shootings or 2020 election fatalities. The Ablekuma attacks, featuring police complicity and state-uniformed infiltrators, present a critical test: will Ghana transition from ritualised condemnation to meaningful accountability?

2. HISTORICAL PRECEDENTS: THE IMPUNITY CONTINUUM

1. Ayawaso West Wuogon (2019): Blueprint for Inaction

Masked national security operatives shot 18 NDC supporters, yet the Emile Short Commission’s recommendations were shelved. Key outcomes:

1. Zero prosecutions despite video evidence and victim testimonies.

2. Partial compensation was paid, but instigators retained government positions.

Security analyst Richard Kumadoe notes: “Impunity is the oxygen sustaining this fire.”

2. 2020 General Elections: Normalised Brutality

Eight fatalities occurred nationwide, but:

• Police closed 80% of cases citing “Insufficient evidence” despite eyewitnes videos.
• CDD-Ghana confirmed victims received no justice by 2025.

Table 1: Ghana’s Electoral Violence Accountability Gap

Source: Author
3. ABLEKUMA NORTH VIOLENCE: EVIDENCE FOR PROSECUTION

1. Documented Perpetrator Actions

1. State-Uniformed Infiltration: Arrests of individuals in “Brown security uniforms” impersonating officers at Awoshie DVLA polling station.
2. Gendered Political Violence: Former MP, Hawa Koomson sustained rib fractures from a coordinated assault involving hair-pulling and stomping at St. Peter’s Methodist Church.
3. Journalist Suppression: Police Inspector Lumor’s filmed assault on GHOne TV’s Kwabena Agyekum Banahene, during which he shouted, “Stop filming!”

2. Institutional Complicity Evidence

1. Police Inaction: Officers “adjusted berets while chaos reigned” during Koomson’s 22-minute assault.
2. Command Failure: Defence Minister Boamah inspected only peaceful stations post-violence, ignoring hotspots.
3. Intelligence Negligence: Police dismissed three advance warnings about “Brown-shirted groups” near polling stations.

4. BARRIERS TO JUSTICE: WHY PROSECUTIONS FAIL

1. Political Protection Racket

• NDC-NPP Blame Trading:
  • NDC’s Sam George weaponised Ayawaso: “What did Bawumia say in 2019?” to deflect accountability.
  • NPP’s Afenyo-Markin accused NDC figures Malik Basintale and Mustapha Gbande of instigation, yet no arrest followed.
  • Vigilantism Act Evasion: Parties rebrand militias as “Security aides” while receiving state protection."

2. Security-Justice Collusion

• Police interdicted Officer Lumor but took no action against politicians named in violence planning.
• Past investigations stalled due to political pressure (e.g., Ayawaso suspects linked to the ruling party).

3. Procedural Sabotage

• Evidence destruction: Journalist Sally Martey’s device was smashed and footage deleted during attacks.
• Witness intimidation: Victims fear reprisals; Koomson’s assailant warned, “We told you!” during the assault.

5. PATHWAYS TO ACCOUNTABILITY: EVIDENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS

Immediate Measures

1. Independent Special Prosecutor for Electoral Crimes (ISPEC)

2. Mandate: Prosecute cases within 90 days using viral video evidence (e.g., Koomson assault footage).
3. Precedent: South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation model.

2. Asset Freezes & Travel Bans

• Implement U.S. visa restrictions under 2024 Executive Order 13818 (Global Magnitsky Act) for named instigators.

3. Structural Reforms

1. Witness Protection: Anonymous testimony channels via Swiss court models with ECOWAS oversight.

2. Police Overhaul:

• Mandatory body cameras funded by EU electoral integrity grants.
• Biometric-tagged uniforms to identify infiltrators.

3. Party Accountability: Amend Political Parties Act (2000) to dissolve parties financing militias.

4. International Leverage

1. ECOWAS Court Fast-Tracking: Prioritise Ablekuma cases; rulings within six months.
2. Commonwealth Suspension: Trigger Article 52 of the Harare Declaration for states tolerating election violence.

6. PROGNOSIS: SCENARIOS FOR JUSTICE

Source: Author

7. CONCLUSION

Ghana’s Accountability Crossroads

The Ablekuma violence costs extend beyond broken ribs and shattered cameras. They represent democracy’s devaluation. As Martin Kpebu argues, “Pick up the Ayawaso report first. Otherwise, impunity becomes our national creed.” Ghana confronts a binary choice:

1. Path A: Perpetuate the impunity cycle, risking 2028 violence becoming lethally ritualised.
2. Path B: Enforce the Vigilantism Act without favour, empowering ISPEC and implementing biometric security tagging.

The Koomson assault footage must become evidence in court, not another digital relic of injustice. Ghana’s democratic soul depends on this reckoning.

REFERENCES

• GBC Ghana. (2025). Ablekuma North Rerun Inflames Ghana’s Electoral Violence Crisis
• GBC Ghana. (2025). Deal with Ayawaso Report First – Martin Kpebu
• GhanaWeb. (2025). Minority Condemns Violence, Asks Police to Arrest Perpetrators. GBC Ghana. (2025). Police Probe Isolated Violent Incidents
• GhanaWeb. (2025). NPP Signals Court Action After Losing Ablekuma North
• GhanaWeb. (2025). PPI-Ghana Calls for Independent Probe into Ablekuma North Rerun Violence
• Modern Ghana. (2025). Security Failure in Ablekuma North: Uniformed Officers Accused of Complicity
• MyJoyOnline. (2025). Ablekuma North Rerun inflames Ghana's pervasive electoral violence crisis.

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