The capital, Accra has been the center of action this past holiday weekend amid protests, police roadblocks, and heavy traffic in principal streets mainly around the seat of government.
The three-day #ReOccuplyJulorbiHouse protest by Democracy Hub against illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, took a dramatic turn when several protesters were arrested for engaging in acts police described as “unlawful,” “unpatriotic,” and “un-Ghanaian.”
Read Also: Police explains reason for arresting 3-day protest in Accra leader, Oliver Barker Vormawor
🚨BREAKING🇬🇭✊🏾👮🏿♂️: The 40+ #ReOccupyJulorbiHouse #StopGalamseyNow arrested protesters have been assembled at the @GhPoliceService headquarters in Osu are now being taken to court.
They are divided into groups of 10 and waiting in buses.
Legal assistance will be required, with… https://t.co/twOn1pUh1y pic.twitter.com/kwJwG8Pv7p
— Ölele | DTS👨🏾🍳🇬🇭 (@OleleSalvador) September 24, 2024
44 people were arrested in total with the lead convener of the group, Oliver Barker Vormawor declared wanted and subsequently arrested.
Among the arrested protestors were lawyer and social media influencer, Ama Governor, a 62-year-old woman and her granddaughter, 8, who were later released by police.
However, Ama Governor, together with the other 43 arrested individuals, including one man reported to be a passer-by, were detained at different police stations in the capital.
Some were allegedly sent all the way to Oyarifa, a suburb of Accra, after they were picked up at 37 roundabout.
They were later assembled at the National Police Headquarters and divided in groups of 10 to be transported in different buses to different courts in the capital.
The protesters were arraigned before several circuit courts in Accra and charged with five counts.
They were charged with causing unlawful damage, unlawful assembly, conspiracy, assault on a police officer and offensive conduct conducive to the breach of peace.
With little to no legal representation, and legal teams not knowing exactly where the 44 arrested would be tried, some lawyers reportedly had to hop on motorbikes (Okada) to chase down police and prosecution teams to locate where their clients are being taken to in the capital.
🚨UPDATE🇬🇭✊🏾👮🏿♂️: Lawyers from LPD are currently using commercial motorcycles (‘okadas’) to chase down @GhPoliceService vehicles transporting some of the #ReOccupyJulorbiHouse #StopGalamseyNow arrested protesters to various circuit courts in Accra.
They have split up in an effort… https://t.co/tz2OmOSUr2 pic.twitter.com/2ulH3kSETF
— Ölele | DTS👨🏾🍳🇬🇭 (@OleleSalvador) September 24, 2024
This was disclosed in an X post by Olele Salvador, who stated that: “Lawyers from LPD are currently using commercial motorcycles (‘okadas’) to chase down @GhPoliceService vehicles transporting some of the #ReOccupyJulorbiHouse #StopGalamseyNow arrested protesters to various circuit courts in Accra.”
In a later post, it was confirmed that some of the arrested protesters were being taken to circuit courts six and 10 near the Supreme Court in Accra.
Ama Governor was taken to circuit court 10, and was filmed shouting the lyrics to late Reggae icon, Bob Marley’s hit record “Redemption Song.”
🚨ICYMI🇬🇭✊🏾👨🏿⚖️: A broken @Ama_governor Esq. brought to the court in handcuffs;
“Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery..” she exclaims!
–
📹: @gyaigyimii🦅🇬🇭 https://t.co/LWzfYICCDD pic.twitter.com/v0mw5ZmHab
— Ölele | DTS👨🏾🍳🇬🇭 (@OleleSalvador) September 24, 2024
Surrounded by fully armed police officers, the handcuffed lawyer was shouting: “this people [police officers are] ridiculous, emancipate yourselves. Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery.”
In another development, the man alleged to have been wrongfully arrested had to miss his father’s funeral at Korle Gonno.
According to Olele Salvador, Mr. Nii Quaye Hammond was picked up on Sunday after informing his family he was heading to Osu.
His daughter said her father, the breadwinner of the family, was not involved in the protests but merely a bystander who was wrongfully arrested on the day.
Read Also: Update on traffic conditions in Accra amid demonstrations and police roadblocks
🚨ICYMI🇬🇭✊🏾👮🏿♂️: Heartbreaking scenes are unfolding at the circuit court where families and loved ones are gathered as their family members, arrested under questionable circumstances, are being processed.
Among them is Mr. Nii Quaye Hammond, who was picked up on Sunday after… https://t.co/V5lZJY3oam pic.twitter.com/QpS82wYSXH
— Ölele | DTS👨🏾🍳🇬🇭 (@OleleSalvador) September 24, 2024
Mr. Hammond has also been processed to court today.
All arrested protesters arraigned before court today have been denied bail to reappear on October 8, and October 11, 2024.
