A private legal practitioner who doubles as a Vice President of IMANI Africa Kofi Bentil has said that the case he and others filed barring the president from removing heads of security agencies continues despite the removal of Dr George Akuffo Dampare from office as the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
“To be clear, our case in the Supreme Court proceeded as normal because it was not just about the IGP but all security heads. We await the ruling.”
Imani Ghana and security expert Professor Kwesi Aning have jointly filed a suit at the Supreme Court seeking to restrain the President from removing the Inspector-General of Police and some other heads of the security agencies until an ongoing case relating to the matter is decided by the court in May 2025.
Despite this, President John Dramani Mahama has dismissed the Inspector General of Police, George Akuffo Dampare.
He is to be replaced by COP Christain Tetteh Yohunu.
This is contained in a media advisory issued by the Spokesperson to the President, Felix Kwakye Ofosu on March 13.
“President John Dramani Mahama has followed Articles 91 and 202 of the 1992 constitution and in consultation with the Council of State, appointed Commissioner of Police (COP) Christian Tetteh Yohunu as the Inspector-General of Police. He replaces COP Dr. George Akuffo Darnpare,” Mr Kwakye Ofosu wrote.
But according to the plaintiff, the said security heads will be unfairly treated if they are removed before the matter which is pending before the Supreme Court is heard.
The development comes on the back of raging reports that the President intends to remove the Inspector-General of Police and other heads of security agencies.
In the suit, the plaintiffs prayed the court that “In the circumstance, I humbly and respectfully pray the honorable court for an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the Defendant/Respondent its principals, including His Excellency the President of the Republic, the respective Council of the Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Police Service, National Fire.
“Service, Ghana Prisons Service, and whomsoever or however described from removing, terminating, dismissing, sacking, suspending or whichever way described; the Director General of the Ghana Prisons Service, the Comptroller of the Ghana Immigration Service, the Director General of the National Fire Service and the Inspector General of Police from their respective positions as Heads of the Ghana Prisons Service, the Ghana Immigration Service, the Ghana National Fire Service and the Ghana Police Service pending the final determination of the suit”.
The suit further noted “That without a doubt, the suit, which raises very serious constitutional issues and with the balance of convenience heavily tilting in favor of the Applicants this application has merit.
“That the Defendant suffers no injury, should the application be granted, especially since, the decision is in no way far to be delivered; and more so, since, in the event, Plaintiffs do not emerge victorious in the final action, the Executive will not be proscribed in exercising their rights of removal of any of these heads.
“That this is an apposite case which is just and convenient, that the instant application is granted”.
Voice of Kofi Bentil
No comment yet, add your voice below!