Authorities must reintegrate people of Denkyira OBuase

May the soul of late Capt. Maxwell Mahama Rest in Perfect Peace. I join other Ghanaians to condemn the mob justice and I equally add my voice to the call for Justice for late Capt. Maxwell Mahama.

Ghana has witnessed several incidences of mob justice over the years. I recalled, the famous incident involving the alleged lady who was perceived to have stolen GHS 1,000 in Kumasi on 7^th February, 2017 and the recent incident involving the late Capt. Mahama in Denkyira Obuase.

These two incidences are not the only mob justice recorded in Ghana. The political front was also not spared with mob justice by some grassroots supporters who have exercised displeasure towards political leaders from the two main political parties in Ghana.

Majority of the mob justice that has happened over the years which probably was not known to the public was due to the fact that an eye witness was not able to record the incident and circulate quickly on social media. In fact, a town in my own district, Agotime-Ziope also experienced a mob justice where the person was mistakenly lynched to death. I am sure as you read this article you have also observed such “barbaric” act of mob justice in your locality.

The emerging spirit of oneness among Ghanaians has enabled us to publicly damn any anti-social behaviour. This oneness was not different from what we have witnessed on late Capt. Mahama’s lynching, where calls have been made for the perpetrators to be brought to book. The country is engulf in pain and anger in relation to the unfortunate late Capt. Mahama’s death, due to this section of the public have called for a severe punishment for the entire Dentyira OBuase community.  Recording some the of views of my friends on the incident, “This village must be deleted from Ghana so next time when people are doing something they have to think about it”, another person believed, “In fact the whole town must be burnt, why this painful death, oh nooooo”, furtherance to the views, another person also stated that “Am still saying that, wipe off the people of Denkyira. Let the land go waste and heal. Let the towns people live like strangers in other towns, and always be on their toes that they could be lynched because they are strangers in another land too. The perpetrators, hang them at death gallows off the shai hills, let the vultures eat out their eyes, let nature deal with them, let them die slowly.. Even that kraa, am still not satisfied!!! When I look at his wife, the anger just returns”.

This article was not written to analyze whether the mob justice was carefully planned and executed by the perpetrators or the deceased was mistakenly took for an armed robber. But, the article seeks to call appropriate stakeholders to apply the “Social Reintegration and Reorientation” techniques for the entire people of the Denkyira OBuase.

My call for social reintegration and reorientation for Denkyira OBuase, rather than continued public chastisement is based on the statement made by the former District Chief Executive, Ambrose Ashia on Asempa FM Tuesday, 30^th May 2017, describing Denkyira OBuase, “Most of the inhabitants have a warlike mentality which makes them have complete disregard for the rule of law- as one with a psyche of impunity, savagery and lawlessness”. He further indicate that, “Between 2013-2015 when the Chinese Company was constructing our main roads, the youth of OBuase attacked and beat the Chinese contractors, who were using stones from the area for the construction, claiming the contractors had not provided them with any amenities. They only stopped after security personnel were called in. Again, a man who had gone for an allnight service was lynched on his return after he was suspected to be a serial killer but luckily he survived and presented himself to the police”.  

The revelations from the former DCE should not be left on the shelves but rather I call on appropriate authorities to quickly engage the innocent “fleeing” members of the Denkyira OBuase to ensure measures are introduced to reorient and reintegrate them into society. Human rights activist should quickly engage the community members to ensure the stigma is off and the rebel mindset they have according to the DCE is rehabilitated. Currently, activities have come to a standstill, communities members are running helter skelter and the Denkyira OBuase has virtually turned into a ghost town. The community needs our social support in this trying moment. In as much as the public has condemned the unfortunate incident, psychologist, sociologist, and international human right activist should quickly take this case to support the entire Denkyira OBuase community.

The dangers of not providing social support could be detrimental to Ghanaians; we need to ask ourselves, should the people of Denkyira OBuase who have been described to have “warlike” mentality and characterised with lawlessness be allowed as a stranger to socialize with the rest of Ghanaians, can you imagine the repercussions? What if some of them tend to commit crimes as a result of frustration, being-finger pointed, and provoked? Do you think you are safe as an individual in Ghana? These are some of the many rhetorical questions going on in my mind.

The surest way to be safe as Ghanaians is to preach against mob justice and also call on law enforcement agencies to enforce the laws of the land to prevent future occurrences. Human right advocates should also step up their educational campaigns and not to go into sleep and the only time you can see them waking up from their slumber to condemn such acts is when it has already been committed.

The calls from some sections of the public for “retribution and vengeance” as it was stated from the introductory part of this article I can say are a reflection of us having a “mob-like” mentality. Criminologist and Conflict Resolution Expert, Prof. Ken Agyeman Attafuah speaking on the Super Morning Show on Joy FM Thursday, June 1, 2017, stated “The horrific killing of a Captain of the Ghana Army is a reflection of the “wicked” and unforgiving make-up of us, as a people”. I believe we shouldn’t take the laws into our own hands to engage in vengeance, I call for calm and suggest social reintegration and reorientation for Denkyira Obuase.

 

Vozbeth Kofi Azumah

University of Cape Coast

Department of Sociology and Anthropology

 

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