Community Watchdog Groups Advised To Abide By The Law

A Civil Rights activist, Mr. Mohammed Wayongo has advised community watchdog groups within the Zongo communities to abide by the laws of the country. 

“Even though our watchdog groups play great roles in curbing social and negative vices within our communities, they mostly take the laws into their own hands”, Mr. Wayango says.

Mr. Wayango made the appeal during the occasion of a seminar organised by the Friends Society to school watchdog groups in the Zongos  on  their roles and limitations. 

The Civil Rights activist pointed out that most of the watchdog or vigilante groups who most often fight against smoking, homosexuality amongst other social vices within the Zongos most often exceed their limits when dealing with culprits..

He recounted a situation that happened in Bawku, in the Upper East Region, when a suspected homosexual was severely beaten by the watchdog groups. 

He said the suspect by name Adam Bukari was attacked by an anti-gay group in the Bawku area and inflicted serious injuries on him.

Even though I don’t support homosexuality which is against the laws of Ghana and Islam in general, the suspect Adam Bukari should have been handed to the police to deal with him according to the laws of the land.

According to the group they punished Adam for bringing shame to the community because gay practice is an abominable thing which must be crashed with all the force it requires.

Adam, although managed to escape from his pursuers but not without serious injuries and has to underwent medication secretly at a hospital in another part of the town.

“I believe had the group knew of his admission at the said hospital, they would have traced him there to finished him because they pointed out that their aim was to kill him for engaging in gay practice”.  

Adam Bukari has since that incident absconded from the area and information I have is that he fled Ghana because he was made a wanted in the community. 

One funny thing about this community watchdog is they have the backing of community leaders and thus make them to act outside the confines of the law.

On Adam’s case for instance the community leaders supported and hailed what the group did to him leading to him fleeing the area and Ghana at large. 

“Up till today Adam is a wanted person at Bawku and cannot return there because he will be punished severely”.

Mr. Wayongo lauded the Zongo Watchdog groups for instilling discipline in the Muslim dominated areas but cautioned them not to act outside the law corridors.

He also encouraged them to not limit their activities only on homosexuality but other social vices such as child trafficking, smuggling, rough riding by motor cyclists, and wrong parking on our roads, Marijuana smoking and peddling amongst others.  

Meanwhile, a background check conducted by this reporter at Bawku confirmed the incident.

A medical doctor at a mission hospital at Bawku indicated that per their medical reports, Adam Bukari was admitted to the hospital in December 2015.

The medical doctor who pleaded for anonymity said the records show that Adam was admitted and discharged after spending five days at the hospital. 

By: Mohammed Saani Ibrahim