Africanus Owusu-Ansah
“Cassio: Reputation, reputation, reputation!
O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself and what remains is bestial – my reputation
Iago, my reputation!”- Othello – the Moor of Venice, (William Shakespeare) Act 2 Scenes 3
“It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation and only one bad one to lose it”- Benjamin Franklin 1706-1790
“In America, the President reigns for four years and journalism governs forever and ever”- Oscar Wilde 1854-1900
BESTIALITY (often wrongly spelt ‘beastiality’) is often thought of as the sexual relation between a human and an animal or copulation of man and animal. This kind of copulation is also known as zoophilia or zoosadism or zoosexuality. But ‘bestiality’ goes beyond that definition. It is the quality or condition of being or behaving like an animal; it is conduct marked by depravity or brutality; it is the condition or quality of lacking compassion or consideration; it is the stupid, brutal, act of a beast.
‘Bestiality’ is from Latin ‘bestialis’ or ‘bestia’ (feminine) that is, ‘beast’ (noun) +- ‘iality’. The synonyms include: brutality, atrocity, cruelty, ferocity, savagery, savageness, ruthlessness, barbarism, barbarity, depravity, inhumanity, viciousness, brutishness, beastliness, bloodthirstiness.
Ever since the promulgation of the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, 1992, referred to as the 1992 Constitution, with its provision of fundamental rights and freedoms for the people living in Ghana, some of us have tried to forget about the atrocities and monstrous bestiality that had marked the era of the People’s National Defence Council (PNDC) era from December 31, 1981 to 1992.
In those times, if one was perceived to have fallen foul of the law, the least punishment would be a slap or slaps in the face, given by people whose palms had been hardened and roughed by training. The army has an image to protect. Even though our army has performed remarkably in operational duties outside Ghana, (from Burma in World War II, to Congo, to Lebanon, to Liberia, to Cote d’Iviore and Mali (in recent times) they have cut a sorry image back at home. How does one feel about military brutalities in Syria, Afghanistan, Russia,…The Armed Forces’ role in Ghana is defined in the 1992 Constitution Article 210 “ …to perform their role of defence of Ghana…”
The slapping of Vincent Dzatse, the Ghanaian Times photographer, and the torture of Nii Martey Botwe, the Daily Graphic photographer, in full glare of other journalists and the public at the 56th Independence Day celebration in Accra, cannot be accepted in this day and age – it is anachronistic. What was the journalists’ crime: taking pictures of the President!
Article 12 of the 1992 Constitution says in (2), “Every person in Ghana, whatever his race, place of origin, political opinion, colour, religion, creed or gender shall be entitled to the fundamental human rights and freedoms of the individual contained in this chapter, but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for the public interest”.
Again, Article 162 ensures freedom of the media and states “(1) Freedom and independence of the media are hereby guaranteed. “(2) Subject to the Constitution and any other law, not inconsistent with this Constitution, there shall be no censorship in Ghana,” and “(4) Editors and publishers of newspapers and other institutions of the mass media shall not be subject to control or interference by Government, nor shall they be penalized or harassed for their publications.”
Journalists, no matter their mistakes and foibles, and journalism, serve as a useful tool for the monitoring of government against oppression, repression and suppression. They are expected to monitor the powerful individuals and institutions within the society. They ensure that the citizenry obtain dependable information through the system of verification. The ‘Code of Ethics’ of the Ghana Journalists Association provides (Preamble 4) “As the fourth estate of the realm, the public expects the media to play their watchdog role. They should do this without infringing on the rights of individuals and society in general (i) The duty of every journalist is to write and report the truth bearing in mind his or her duty to serve the public (ii) The public have a right to unbiased, accurate, balanced and comprehensive information as well as to express themselves freely through the media (iii) A journalist should make adequate enquiries and cross check his or her facts”.
An incident happened at Brodekwano in the Kuntenase District recently. A top political appointee went to seek the assistance of the townsfolk to arrest some Chinese who were doing illegal ‘galamsey’ in that area. Knowing the extent of destruction to their farms and water-bodies, the townsfolk enthusiastically accepted the invitation. After the political appointee had arrested the Chinese and taken them to Kuntenase police, the Chinese in turn, lodged a complaint against some of the villagers of having stolen their gold. The Chinese were immediately released at Kuntenase.
Two of the five suspects were detained at Kuntenase on Monday, 4th March, 2013, after their statements had been taken. They were later transferred to Kumasi where fresh statements were taken from them. As a lawyer to the two suspects, I went to the Kumasi Police Station on Tuesday, 5th March, 2013, to plead for bail for them, which was refused. The following day which was the 56th Independence Day, a holiday, during which time people were relaxing in their homes, I spent the whole day at the Kumasi Police Station without getting bail for my clients.
This is in spite of the fact that the 1992 Constitution stipulates categorically that “(3) A person who is arrested, restricted or detained (a) for the purpose of bringing him before a court in execution of an order of a court, or (b) upon reasonable suspicion of his having committed or being about to commit a criminal offence under the laws of Ghana and who is not released, shall be brought before court within forty –eight hours after the arrest, restriction or detention –and my clients had spent more than seventy two hours in police cells!”
When the issue was brought before the Regional Commander of Police, DCOP Augustine Gyening, on Thursday 7th March, he acted ‘professionally’ and ordered the immediate release of the suspects on bail. To a lawyer, a single day’s unjustifiable, illegal, unconstitutional, incarceration of anyone means a lot- one cannot estimate the loss. Ironically, the two suspects (one of whom was a sub-chief) were made to sit on the floor of the CID office- handcuffed, until the time of interrogation – and in my presence! Again, this is in spite of the provision in the 1992 constitution which states in Article 15(1) that the dignity of all persons shall be inviolable (2) “No person shall, whether or not he is arrested, restricted or detained, be subjected to (a) torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; (b) any other condition that detracts or is likely to detract from his dignity and worth as a human being”.
Now, a number of institutions in Ghana wield weapons; these include the Armed Forces, the Police Service, Customs Division of Ghana Revenue Authority, Prisons Service, and Immigration Service. Even the private security institutions are agitating for the chance to be armed. It gives them power-unfettered power. However, we should be careful about the possible proliferation of arms and its repercussions. When I was doing part-time teaching at the Police College in Accra, I kept reminding my students, “Power is succulent and sweet, especially for those of you in uniform, but remember the day you are made to put your uniform down…”
africanusoa@gmail.com
By Africanus Owusu-Ansah
Who expects law and order under the NDC? The party was formed with public funds under disorder. What did we not see under NDC 1 and what difference do you expect under NDC 2? For democracy to thrive in Ghana NDC must go extinct but so far as most Ghanaians remain gullible NDC will continue to bribe, steal and buy their way to political victory.