The Inspector General of Police, David Asante Apeatu has admitted that the police often face difficulties when dealing with vigilante groups in the country.

According to him, most of these groups when arrested are given lenient sentences which ‘is not deterrent enough’.

Giving his testimony when he appeared before the Justice Emile Short Commission, the IGP said sometimes if some of the members of the vigilante groups are arrested, they receive letters of withdrawal asking for their release.

“As Police Officers, we have our mandate to protect lives and property to prevent crime . . . to maintain law and order . . . there had been many incidents of these so-called vigilantes and we respond to them accordingly. We have difficulties especially when they are within the party; sometimes they come with withdrawal letters . . . to the extent that we can go to court and then they are sentenced sometimes with small fines and it is not deterrent enough,” he added.

Police Campaign on Vigilantism

The IGP said the Police Service are also putting up banners with the inscription 'vigilantism is a threat to the society' to help fight the canker.

He said vigilantism is a menace which if not curbed, can escalate and become more difficult to curb.

"The issue of vigilantism is dear to my heart and we have started with banners that vigilantism is a threat to the society. . . political parties say they do not sponsor . . . if all of us take a decision on this, it will make our work easier . . . if it deteriorates it will be so difficult for us to repair . . . if we all join hands; I am happy the president has also come out that if the political parties fail, he will institute laws (to that effect) . . . we will be happy to hear that and we will enforce the law," he added.