The Ministry of the Interior has prepared 11 new criminal case dockets on incidents of violence and deaths recorded during the 2020 and 2024 general elections and has forwarded them to the Attorney-General’s Office for prosecution.
The Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, disclosed this at a press briefing in Accra on Tuesday, stating that the move followed extensive investigations conducted by a special task force comprising officials from the Ministry and the Ghana Police Service.
“The government is determined to bring closure to these incidents and prevent a recurrence in future elections,” Mr. Mubarak said.
Investigations and Arrests
According to the minister, 21 suspects were identified through witness interviews, crime scene reconstructions, and forensic and ballistic examinations.
Of these, four suspects have been arrested and granted police inquiry bail, while five others remain in prison custody.
The investigations covered violent incidents from both election years, which together resulted in 15 deaths and over 40 injuries across seven regions — Greater Accra, Ashanti, Bono East, Savannah, Northern, Upper East, and Upper West.
Mr. Mubarak noted that many of the cases involved misuse of firearms by political party supporters and improper use of live ammunition by some security officers during crowd-control operations at polling stations and collation centres.
Accountability and Reforms
The minister emphasised that the government would not allow the cases to fade without justice.
“We will not allow these cases to gather dust. Those responsible will face the full rigours of the law,” he declared.
He explained that recommendations from the investigative task force would inform future reforms in crowd-control procedures, coordination among security agencies, and training of personnel to prevent electoral violence.
The announcement represents the most significant progress since the deadly confrontations during the 2020 elections, which saw at least five fatalities in Techiman South, Odododiodio, and Ablekuma Central, and similar incidents during the 2024 polls in parts of Ashanti, Bono East, and Savannah regions.
Civil society groups, including the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), have long demanded justice for victims and accountability for security lapses during those elections.
