Muntaka Mubarak says police officers face swift disciplinary action due to traceability, while tracking civilian perpetrators takes time, but is actively underway.
Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak has assured the public that all perpetrators involved in recent election-related violence will be brought to justice, stressing that while officers are swiftly sanctioned due to their traceability, identifying and prosecuting civilian offenders requires more time and effort.
Speaking at the government’s Accountability Series in Accra on Monday, the Minister drew a clear distinction between internal police discipline and public criminal investigations.
“The first thing is interdiction,” Mubarak explained. “Then the person is given an opportunity to defend himself or herself before what they call the Professional Standards Bureau.”
He noted that police personnel can be acted upon quickly because they are registered officers with identifiable names, numbers, and postings.
“That officer is somebody we know — he has a number, a name, a station. We can go after him easily,” he said.
However, Mubarak emphasized that this is not the case with civilians who often flee the scene after committing violent acts.
“These are guys who commit this and vanish from the system. We have to take time to track them,” he said, assuring that the process is underway.
He disclosed that Acting President, Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman, personally called him about the incident.
“She called me. I told her, ‘Madam, I’ve already instructed the IGP,’ and the IGP was sitting right there with me,” Mubarak revealed.
The Minister added that video evidence was forwarded to the IGP on the same day, prompting the deployment of ICT experts and crime scene investigators to analyze footage and build a case.
“We are not going to allow this to go unpunished unless they flee the country. So long as they’re around, the law will take its course,” he stated firmly.
Mubarak also voiced disappointment that Ghana, despite over 30 years of democratic practice, still faces election-related violence.
“It’s a scar on all of our consciences,” he said. “We should be able to have peaceful elections in this country.”
With a by-election approaching in Akwetia, the Minister urged security agencies to strengthen their preparedness, describing the recent events as a critical wake-up call.
