Nobody has asked you to beat citizens - Martin Kpebu condemns comments by Achiase Jungle officer

Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has condemned the statements made by the Commanding Officer of the Achiase Jungle Warfare School, who warned that individuals who disrupt the elections on December 7 would be dealt with harshly.

In an interview with Joy FM's Super Morning Show on Friday, November 22, 2024, the legal luminary described the statements as despicable, attributing Lt. Col. Jacob Codjoe's behaviour to eye service.

Trying to understand why such comments were made, he suggested that the commander might be seeking a promotion from his superiors and chose this path to attract their attention.

“I’m not surprised, in the military there is something they call eye service or face fine. Basically, you do something like this to catch the attention of superiors and the commander-in-chief for promotion. That is the only way I can understand why he is doing this because why would you say this in a democracy like Ghana?

“We embraced democracy 32 years ago and we still have soldiers coming to talk like we are still in the days of the PNDC or AFRC and the military juntas, then I can ascribe it to eye service,” he said.

Kpebu stated that such statements should not be tolerated in a democratic state, emphasising that the military has no role in interfering with or being involved in elections. He called for the military not to be deployed during the election period.

“It is despicable and must put him in his right place that there is no room for such statements in Ghana. The military had their days when they ruled so they should stay out of this election. We don’t want them coming back to repeat the Techiman South incident. We don’t want that to happen again and nobody has asked Lt. Col. Codjoe to beat citizens and has no right to do so.”

Background

The Commanding Officer of the Achiase Jungle Warfare School in the Eastern Region, Lt. Col. Jacob Codjoe, Speaking at a public event in a video shared on social media warned individuals intending to disrupt the peace on election day, December 7, 2024.

He cautioned troublemakers to desist from such actions, emphasising that the military will act decisively to maintain order.

He said: "I am telling you here that I will come this December 7, but only within the Akyemansa enclave, if the police tell me they cannot handle the situation. And when I come, I will not talk. I will beat you and the hell out of you. I always want people to try me, so any of you seated here can try me or any of my men that day.

"When you go to the polling station, just cast your vote, go home, and sleep. When it’s 5 p.m., come, and they will tell you where to stand. They will count the votes for you, and if you win, clap and go home. Then, you will not have any problem with me and my people. We are not going to sit by and let just two or three people distort the peace that Ghana is enjoying."

His comments have received wide condemnation from the public.

Ghana goes to the polls on December 7, 2024, to elect a president and parliamentarians.