Senior lawyer and Vice-President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has said there are grounds for concerns that the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) may be applying justice selectively.
He argued that the government has appeared more aggressive in prosecuting opposition figures while being more lenient towards people within its own ranks.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, Mr Bentil said both sides of the debate over selective justice could marshal arguments to support their positions, but insisted that the government’s record over its four-year mandate would ultimately provide the strongest basis for judging the allegation.
“I think those arguing for selective justice will have enough facts to back what they are saying, but those who are also arguing that we don’t have selective justice will have their case too,” he said.
“But the proof of the pudding is in its eating. This government and by extension this NDC party will be judged after four years.”
Mr Bentil’s comments come against the backdrop of a major demonstration by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Accra on Thursday.
Thousands of NPP members and supporters took to the streets under the theme “Democracy Under Attack”, accusing the government of undermining democratic principles and weakening key state institutions.
The demonstration ended with the NPP presenting a petition at the Supreme Court and the forecourt of Jubilee House, the seat of government.
The delegation was led by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, General Secretary Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and the Chief of Staff to NPP flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
Mr Bentil said two years into the NDC government’s four-year mandate, there was already sufficient material for citizens to begin assessing its approach to law enforcement and prosecution.
“Two years have passed, if you draw the report card, there is ground to say that they have been more zealous in prosecuting people in the opposition and more zealous in freeing people from within their ranks,” he said.
“And to that extent therefore, you can claim there is selective justice.”
Mr Bentil’s assessment suggests that the perception is not merely about individual prosecutions but about whether there is a discernible pattern in how state power is exercised.
However, he stopped short of suggesting that the debate was settled.
He acknowledged that those defending the government could also point to facts and cases to support their argument that justice was not being applied selectively.
Mr Bentil also explained why he believes citizens should act before democratic freedoms are seriously compromised.
“For me, I am not waiting for all of our democracy to be removed from under our feet and for us to fall down before we rise up,” he said.
He called for continued vigilance and active participation in the protection of civic freedoms.
“So we always have to make sure that we are staying at the forefront and ensure that we expand the frontiers of freedom,” he said.
