Vigilante, frontier or street justice, which is extrajudicial punishment largely motivated by the nonexistence of law and order or a dissatisfaction with existing laws or a lack of fear for the existing structure for justice seems to be perhaps on the ascendancy in certain parts of the country.
We are all aware of the recent upsurge in lawless activities, some of which seemed to be have been brought on by the recent change in the political fortunes of the country which has since gone down somewhat.
Our concern is with the rise in street justice within our neighborhoods that have no political undertones and mainly depict individuals taking the law into their own hands and dishing out what they deem as instant and befitting justice and seemingly getting away with their cowardly and barbaric acts.
Barely a month ago we published the sad story of a taxi driver by name Awudu Ibrahim of Sawaba in Kumasi who was mobbed and beaten to his untimely death by a group of people he may have known for accidentally hitting a friend of theirs on an Okada (motorbike) with his taxi cab, the video of which is posted below.
Vigilante Justice:Taxi driver, Awudu Ibrahim, allegedly beaten to death by vigilante youth.
More recently our attention has been drawn to several videos circulating on Facebook and WhatsApp in which groups of individuals considered themselves the final arbiters and dispensers of justice and brutally beat up their victims.
In the first video posted below, two females who seem to be having a meal at a ‘chop bar’ were violently attacked by two grown males for allegedly being lesbians, a sexual orientation which we are not sure constitutes a crime, although it may be considered a taboo in certain parts of the country.
The two men according to several comments may have had their advances towards the women rejected and resorted to the crude attack of force and public shaming as payback. Fortunately, the attack on their dignity as individuals though bad did not take a worse turn.
In the second video posted below, three young adults beat up on a younger colleague with the leader of the posse reducing his victim to a punching bag as he rained heavy trauma inducing blows from all angles on his young captive with the aid of his stooges as he continuously demand that his rebellious captive who from the ongoing conversation seem to owe him money kneel before him.
In the third video which has a lot of tongues wagging across the realm of social media, a woman was stripped virtually naked with the exception of her brassiere somewhere in Kumasi by a group of men we can fittingly describe as sexual perverts having a field day and subjected to shameful public ridicule that included forcefully spreading her legs apart to show her genitalia, all for allegedly stealing GHs 1,100.00.
Woman assaulted and beaten in Kumasi by mob for allegedly stealing GHS 1,100.00.
In all these videos and many of such incidents not mentioned here, the few good Samaritans on hand willing to help have been outnumbered, and we all know it can be an ordeal calling Ghana Police at times.
These acts perhaps may be nothing new, as I do remember being a witness to a couple of such instances as a youngster in which thieves especially were brazenly mobbed and stoned to death etc.
Times have since changed, our law enforcement units have since expanded and instances of such behavior ought to be reported and the culprits severely punished by the Police to serve as a deterrent to the perpetrators of such crimes.
Thankfully, in today’s world, the availability of cell phones has rendered most of us video and cameramen who are able to capture these incidents in real time and share with our friends on various social media platforms.
What becomes of these clips is unknown, but it should with proper usage serve as a tool for the authorities to arrest the culprits as they can be easily identified. Victims for fear of further brutalization and fear of a lack of support from the Police clam up and refuse to make a report and live in fear, not to mention the emotional scar that they endure on a daily basis.
According to a police officer we reached out to on the issue, there are stringent laws in the books for addressing such issues, and that it is very important for the victims and even those who witness such incidents or take these videos to make a ‘good Samaritan’ report as most of the attackers live within our communities and may even have an online presence and may be easily identifiable.
In concluding, we appeal to the new Inspector General of Police, COP David Asante-Apeatu, and other crime fighting agencies to build a stronger public presence on Social Media which is now a crime fighting tool and encourage individuals to upload such videos to pages etc. for appropriate action and investigation to be taken.
Public outreach to communities via Radio, Social Media, Newspaper advertisements etc. urging people to report crimes rather than taking the law into their own hands and making them aware of the possible consequences of vigilante justice many go a long way to serve as a deterrent. Prosecuting those who engage in street justice and making the public aware will also go a long way.
In the cases referenced above, we have heard about the arrest and ongoing investigation into the case of the woman alleged to have stolen money in Kumasi.
We in no way encourage crime or support those who engage in it, but individuals taking the laws into their own hands is not a solution as innocent individuals can easily be caught up and harmed after the fact.
Such acts are shameful to us as Ghanaians and for our country. We need to stand up for the rule of law and our rights as Individuals which holds that we are all innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
News: Lady Stripped Naked and Abused at Kejetia Market.
After all, what moral right can we cling on to as a people when we condemn similar violence in other countries, especially the current xenophobic attacks going on South Africa yet fail to do anything about such in our own country?
N.B: Available statistics on vigilantism in the country is hard to come by, but anecdotal evidence seem to suggest that at least more than 12 people fall victim to it every year. A 2003 U.S Department of State report on Human Rights Practices in Ghana made mention of numerous cases of vigilante style justice conducted by angry mobs and citizens on suspected criminals.
(Additional editing by Simon Aikins)
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