A tense scene unfolded on Sunday (August 17) at the 37 Military Hospital area, where a suspected thief scaled a tall tree to escape a furious mob.
The man, accused of stealing valuable items, remained perched on the branches for several hours before police intervened to take him into custody, highlighting the dangerous trend of mob attacks in the country.
The incident occurred after the suspect allegedly stole banners from a billboard near the 37 traffic light, an act that triggered an alarm.
Eyewitnesses say an angry crowd quickly formed and began pursuing the man.
In a desperate bid to avoid being beaten, he climbed a large tree located between the 37 lorry terminal and the hospital.
One eyewitness recounted the sequence of events to reporters.
“He came to steal banners used for a billboard at 11 pm, and after cutting the banners, the alarm went off, so he climbed the tree to avoid arrest.”
The crowd gathered at the base of the tree, creating a volatile standoff until police officers arrived. The officers were able to de-escalate the situation and safely take the suspect into custody.
While the act of stealing is a crime under Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act, so is mob justice.
The Ghana Police Service has repeatedly warned the public against taking the law into their own hands, a practice often fuelled by a lack of trust in the justice system.
The law is clear: any individual who participates in mob violence can be held liable for assault, battery, and even murder if the suspect dies.
According to Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act (Act 29), intentionally causing harm is a felony, and murder is punishable by death.
The Ghana Police Service has reported numerous cases of mob-related violence in recent years, with data indicating that a significant percentage of these incidents involve the death of the alleged suspect.
The core tenet of the country’s legal system is that every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty, a right enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.
The incident at the 37 traffic light is a stark reminder of the urgent need for citizens to trust in and rely on the legal system rather than resorting to violence.
Authorities continue to stress that any suspect, regardless of the crime, must be handed over to the police for proper investigation and prosecution.
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Source: myjoyonline.com
