The Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice, CHRAJ, says the outfit is disappointed in the decision of the Swedru District Court to refer the case of assault of a 17-year old boy by two municipal guards at the Agona West Municipal Assembly (AWMA) to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
CHRAJ boss Joseph A. Whittal in an interview with Joy FM said the decision of the court does not serve as a deterrent to people who may engage in such act.
"The gravity of the torture, that kick and to the extent that blood was oozing from the ear and he couldn't withstand the pain is not a situation where you will allow to go to ADR, prosecution and the judge have to go back and look at the constitution and the power that the constitution gave and the provision of the constitution particularly Article 12 and 16, it is strange and very worrying sending a wrong signal that you can arraign through an application by a counsel for a case of these nature to be settled amicably."
Months back, some municipal guards together with two others were captured on video allegedly assaulting the 17-year old boy who they accused of stealing.
Â
The referral of the case to ADR followed an appeal by counsel for the accused persons, Mr Frederick Selby, that since the trial started, relatives of the accused persons have reached out to the victim and financially supported them.
He noted that the accused persons had agreed to take care of the medical expenses of the victim so as to ensure the amicable settlement of the case and further pleaded with the court to grant them bail and refer the matter to be settled through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
The court agreed with counsel, granted the accused persons bail, and subsequently referred the case to the ADR.
However, the court warned that if by May 8, 2019, the next adjourned date the parties had not been able to reach a consensus towards a resolution of the matter, the case would be brought back to court for trial to continue.
The accused persons, Peter Danso, Isaac Ntsiful, Sampson Aikins and Francis Yorke were each granted bail on Wednesday in the sum of GH₵10,000 with three sureties each.
READ ALSO:
- Security official in a video kicking a suspect arrestedSecurity official in a video kicking a suspect arrested
For more Ghana News visit Prime News in Ghana.com