Persons who take pictures of their ballot papers after voting must be jailed – EC

The Director of Electoral Services at the Electoral Commission (EC) Dr. Serebuor Quaicoe is advocating for the two persons arrested for taking pictures of their ballot paper in Tuesday’s special voting exercise to be prosecuted.

The two were caught at the Kpeshie District Police headquarters in Nungua in Greater Accra.

Reports say the duo caught the attention of some agents after they kept long in the voting booth. The agents then alerted the Police who after going through their smartphones arrested them for the “disclosure of votes”.

The suspects are assisting the Kpeshie Division of the Ghana Police Service with investigations into the matter.

Commenting on the issue in an interview with Joy News, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe advocated for custodial sentences for persons who photograph their votes as a deterrent before December 7, adding that three persons have been arrested for the crime.

“The law is specific that the choice of balloting should be in secrecy so the moment you take a snapshot of the thumbprint or ballot paper you have breached the law. I know that so far three people have been arrested and it’s my wish those people are given custodian sentences before 7th December to serve as a warning to others. We should be people who respect the laws of the country.”

“Why would you take snapshots of your vote? What is the need for it and by so doing you are breaching the laws of the country and you must be sanctioned severely and with the swiftness that it demands to serve as a warning to others,” Dr. Serebuor Quaicoe added.