On Tuesday, this week, we carried a story at our front page about Fred Odum, a 31-year-old driver with the Adaklu District Assembly, who is battling for survival after enduring a horrific assault in Ho, Volta Region. Four suspects, including a Pastor, have been arrested for their roles in the attempted murder.
The story indicated that Fred was accused of theft while seeking assistance at a mechanic shop after his motorbike broke down at night. Despite identifying himself and pleading for mercy, he was struck on the forehead with a cutlass, beaten and tied to the rear of a vehicle.
The story went on to reveal that his assailants dragged him on a tarred road for 500 meters and forced him to drink dirty engine oil. To make matters worse, they mutilated his testicles and severely damaged his male organ.
As if that wasn’t enough and believing him to be dead, the attackers dumped him in a bush. Summoning his last strength, Fred crawled back to the roadside, where he pleaded for water from one of his attackers, who ended up stealing his motorbike and abandoning him.
Some Good Samaritans eventually took Fred to Ho Teaching Hospital, where doctors removed his severely damaged testicles. He spent a month in hospital and now requires ongoing medical care, including costly surgeries, to repair his reproductive system.
First of all, The Chronicle strongly condemns this barbaric act. The brutal and inhumane treatment of Fred Odum represents a grave affront to human dignity and the rule of law.
What gives any group of individuals the right to decide someone’s guilt and impose their version of justice on him? Such behaviour is the hallmark of a failed society, where lawlessness replaces order and cruelty overtakes compassion.
Even more shocking is the involvement of a “pastor” in this crime. A man of God is expected to be a voice of reason, mercy and restraint, yet this individual stood by as Fred was tortured, doing little to stop the violence.
This betrayal of moral and spiritual responsibility is as condemnable as the actions of the attackers themselves.
Under no circumstances should people take the law into their own hands. Ghana is governed by a constitution that guarantees every citizen the right to due process. Accusing someone of theft, even if evidence exists, does not grant anyone the authority to act as judge, jury, and executioner.
The police and judicial system exist precisely to address such situations. When individuals bypass these institutions, chaos and injustices are inevitable, as this case demonstrates.
Vigilantism is not justice, it is criminality masquerading as retribution. The consequences of such reckless actions are severe, as evidenced by the irreversible harm done to Fred. His life has been destroyed, not because he committed a crime, but because a group of individuals decided to impose their misguided form of justice.
The arrest of the suspects by the police in Ho is a positive step, but it is not enough. The legal system must act swiftly and decisively to ensure that these individuals are held accountable for their heinous crimes.
The alleged perpetrators – Patrick Kwame Agbesi, Abraham Kwame Atidama, Atsu Adzasu, and Prophet Johnson Tagoe – must face the full force of the law. This case must serve as a precedent that no one, regardless of their status or intentions, is above the law.
Fred Odum has suffered physical, emotional, and financial devastation. His injuries have left him incapacitated, and his future is now clouded by uncertainty and pain. It is heart-breaking that his fiancée abandoned him in his time of need, leaving him to cope with the consequences of a crime he did not commit.
As a country, we have a moral obligation to support Fred. His plea to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for assistance must not go unanswered.
Government institutions, NGOs and private citizens must rally to help Fred rebuild his life. Financial assistance for his medical bills, including the cost of reconstructive surgeries, is essential to restore some semblance of normalcy to his shattered existence.
Mob justice thrives in environments where trust in law enforcement and the judiciary is weak. This case should galvanize all stakeholders to strengthen these institutions and ensure that citizens trust them to deliver justice.
The prevalence of mob violence is not just a legal issue; it is a moral crisis that requires education, awareness, and systemic change. The perpetrators of this crime must be punished without leniency, not only to deliver justice for Fred, but also to send a clear message that mob justice has no place in Ghana.
As citizens, we must demand accountability, support the victim and work collectively to prevent such atrocities from ever happening again. Only then can we uphold the principles of justice, compassion and the rule of law.
