The former deputy General Secretary for New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Obiri Boahen has said abolishing the death penalty is a recipe for chaos in the country.
Speaking on Starr Today with Joshua Kodjo Mensah, Mr. Boahen stated that the move has some consequences and Ghanaians should be ready adding that for it him, he believes that the death penalty should have been kept in the statutes.
“When an armed robber shoots your wife and you raise an alarm and luckily one of the armed robbers is arrested then you hand him over to the police who put him before the court. He is convicted and just sentenced, come-on you are joking. It is a recipe for chaos now then all of us are going to encourage individuals when people are caught real-handed committing a dastardly act we must also meet them with instant justice and that will be fair. Fair will be foul and foul will be fair.
“What about those who will be killed? We don’t have laws for those who are murdered, those who will fall, victim, we don’t have laws protecting them. Look I don’t need to argue over this, if they have repealed it fine the consequences all of us must be ready for that,” he stated.
Background
Parliament has passed the Criminal and Other Offences Amendment Bill.
The bill was sponsored by Madina MP Francis Xavier Sossu despite concerns from some MPs including Zebilla MP, Cletus Avoka.
Even though Ghana has not executed anyone on the death roll since 1993, the proponents of the bill argued the penalty must not remain on the country’s statutes.
Deputy Majority leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has hailed the historic abolishment of the death penalty.
He however argued the move is not to encourage murder.
