Court delays frustrating fight against land guards, special courts urgently needed — Muntaka

Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, has expressed concern over persistent delays in the prosecution of land guards, warning that the slow pace of judicial processes could undermine efforts by security agencies to combat the menace across the country.

Speaking on the Floor of Parliament on Wednesday, June 10, the Minister acknowledged the progress made by law enforcement agencies in arresting and prosecuting individuals involved in land guard activities.

However, he noted that delays in court proceedings continue to pose a significant challenge to the fight against the illegal practice.

“We have intensified the arrest and prosecution of land guards and we have been liaising with the Attorney General’s office except to admit that, sometimes the court delays. You present land guards before the courts and the delays sometimes weaken the security agencies in their efforts to prosecute.

“Many who have been seen even with a cutlass are being prosecuted for its use and we have arrested some of the kingpins and presented them before the courts. But I don’t like to say we may have to create special courts for almost everything but the way it is going, we may have to create special courts for land guards.”

Land guard activities have long been a source of concern in Ghana, particularly in rapidly developing urban and peri-urban communities where disputes over land ownership frequently arise.

The activities of these groups have often been associated with violence, intimidation, unlawful occupation of land, and attacks on property owners, developers, and residents.

Successive governments have implemented various measures to curb the phenomenon, including the passage of legislation criminalising the activities of land guards and strengthening collaboration among security agencies and prosecutorial authorities.

-citinewsroom