Richard Tandoh, a private citizen, has called on the Ghana Police Service to intensify public education on the dangers and illegality of mob or instant justice.
According to him, without his timely intervention a man was nearly lynched to death on the mere suspect of snatching a phone at Kantamato, Accra.
Speaking to The Chronicle yesterday, he said it also reminded him of his office colleague, one Foli, who on January 21, 2021, was attacked by unknown persons at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, while returning home from work.
The assailants, he said, claimed they were chasing a thief but failed to properly identify their target before pouncing on him.
“They beat him mercilessly with all kinds of implements,” he recalled. “He became unconscious and only survived because some good Samaritans rushed him to the Salvation Army Health Service–Ghana.”
He was treated for multiple bruises, lacerations and general body pains and discharged the following day.
When asked why his friend did not report the matter to the police, Richard Tandoh explained that he was overwhelmed with fear and panic at the time, which led to his silence over the years.
Richard Tandoh said he has decided to speak out because incidents of mob justice continue to occur across the country, with some are even captured on social media.
“The problem with mob justice is that the truth often remains hidden, and the real culprits sometimes walk away free, just as it happened in his colleague’s case,” he lamented.
According to him, the enforcement of the law is the responsibility of the police, supported by the public, not the other way around.
“The courts are there to prescribe the appropriate sanctions for offenders. The law must be made to work,” he emphasised.
Richard Tandoh further cautioned that some people take advantage of mob actions to steal from innocent victims, stressing that both the police and the media must devote more attention to public education and awareness creation on the issue.
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