Amnesty International – Ghana has urged the security agencies in the country to as a matter of urgency promptly and effectively investigate the death of all victims of unlawful killings.
According to the international body, the recent killings and the rising insecurities in Ghana is alarming.
“We call on authorities to as a matter of urgency investigate these killings and the perpetrators duly punished. We urge the judiciary to punish anyone found guilty of such heinous crimes.
“As reported by media outlets, 25-year-old Georgina Asor Botchwey was murdered and buried in the apartment of one of the two suspects after being declared missing since 10th September 2022 in Mankessim,” Amnesty International narrated in a statement dated September 28, 2022.
The group also commended Parliament for the positive steps being taken on the abolition of the death penalty in Ghana.
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“Amnesty International holds the view that the use of the death penalty does not serve as a deterrent. Statistics show that crime figures from countries which have banned the death penalty have not risen. In some cases, they have gone down,” the statement added.
Below is the full statement from Amnesty International
PRESS RELEASE
28th September 2022
For Immediate Release
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL GHANA CONDEMNS RECENT KILLINGS IN GHANA AND REITERATES ITS POSITION ON THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY IN GHANA
Amnesty International is a non-political, not-for-profit human rights organization working for the promotion and protection of fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other human rights standards. It is a global movement of over 10 million people in more than 160 countries. The organization welcomes the positive steps being taken by the Parliament of Ghana on the abolition of the death penalty in Ghana.
Amnesty International Ghana expresses concern in the recent killings and the rising insecurities in the country. We call on authorities to as a matter of urgency investigate these killings and the perpetuators duly punished. We urge the judiciary to punish anyone found guilty of such heinous crimes.
As reported by media outlets, 25-year-old Georgina Asor Botchwey was murdered and buried in the apartment of one of the two suspects after been declared missing since 10th September 2022 in Mankessim.
According to GNA report on 20th September 2022, a fresh dead body was recovered in Bamahu, a suburb of Wa where the police exhumed the body of an unidentifiable male. This was done a day after the police exhumed another body of a night security man identified as Seidu Baga from Kpongu in the Wa municipality.
We call on security agencies in Ghana to conduct independent investigations into these killings. We would like to respectfully remind the Minister of Interior, the Ghana Police Service and other authorities involved in law enforcement in Ghana, that under their international human rights obligations, they must promptly, independently, thoroughly, and effectively investigate the death of all victims of unlawful killings.
However, we reiterate our position on the need to abolish the death penalty in Ghana regardless of the crimes committed. We suggest that life imprisonment replaces the death penalty as a form of punishment for crimes.
Amnesty International holds the view that the use of the death penalty does not serve as a deterrent. Statistics show that crime figures from countries which have banned the death penalty have not risen. In some cases, they have gone down. In Canada for instance, the murder rate in 2008 was less than half that in 1976 when the death penalty was abolished there.
We express our deepest condolence to the bereaved families. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of them.
