Delta Force ’13’ punishment lenient – Ablakwa

The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has described as lenient the punishment issued by a Kumasi Circuit Court to the 13 Delta Force members for escaping from police custody.

According to the MP, the 13 members should have been given a harsh sanction that would have served as a deterrent to others.

“If you look at what Delta Force and what their accomplices did, it has never happened. I believe like most Ghanaians do, the verdict is lenient,” the former deputy education minister said in an interview on Asempa FM Tuesday.

The lawmaker added “clearly this is just a slap on the wrist. They can easily come up with the money (fine) and not feel it. It is peanuts to them…when they were in lawful custody and police were in control of the security of the court precincts and they were able to break through and intimidated the police, lady judge and escaped, we were expecting that the punishment would have been severe.”

“But the way things have gone, we know that their lawyer argued but our image as a country has been affected because of this lawless act, they have brought to Ghana, gross embarrassment internationally.”

Each member of the 13 Delta Force vigilante group who appeared before the Kumasi Circuit court were been fined an amount of GHC.2,400 for escaping from lawful custody.

Additionally, the suspects were made to sign a bond of good behavior for six months failure for which will attract a 3-year jail term They have also been remanded for two weeks and will reappear in court on April 20.

The 13 were arrested after they invaded the court and freed their colleagues who were facing charges for allegedly assaulting the Ashanti regional security coordinator.