Mob justice in ghana pdf

Contributing to the mob justice and citizenled violence debates in ghana, tankebe 2009 argues that the incidence of vigilantism and broader issues of rule of law put to question the effectiveness of the state and its legal institutions. This paper studies the practice of mob violence in the name of justice, and its implication to the rule of law in ghana. Moreover, women and disabled persons suffer considerable exclusion, and sexual minorities continue to face discrimination. And now the seagull has returned to bird island, it is time for us to pause a moment and take stock. The study aimed at assessing the relationship between institutional. Afrobarometer, a nonprofit corporation with headquarters in ghana, is. Police brutality against civilians and a growing culture of mob justice meted out to alleged criminals, were also decried by the report.

While the prevalence of mob justice in ghana is not known, condemnations by ghanaians from all walks of life often suggested a surge in such violence in recent years citifmonline, 2017b. Ghana in its fourth republic, with particular emphasis on the competitive multiparty politics, elections, oversight of the executive, parliament and political parties. The death of relatives, particularly in the context of mob justice, continues to traumatise many people and families. The community, especially the victims, suffer permanent scars of fear and the burden on victim families is. Similarly, in april 2011, the sad news of aminas predicament went viral on social media when she was arrested by some male students of the mensah sarbah hall annex b at the university of ghana, for allegedly stealing a laptop and. Dec 01, 2018 however, in recent times, there is an increase in the practice of mob justice as a major way of seeking justice in many africa countries most especially in nigeria, ghana, cameroon, kenya, south africa, tanzania and uganda adugyamfi, 2014.

Inequality across regions and between the sexes remains. Aug 11, 2014 mob justice is extensive and allencompassing in cities and towns areas in ghana attafuah, 2008. Equal access to justice under the law is a fundamental principle guaranteed under the 1992 constitution of the republic of ghana. Mob justice or instant justice is when usual people take the law into. Ghana is touted as one of the best performing economies in africa. In july police killed seven suspected robbers, stirring outcry when the local zongo. The satisfaction sourced from eliminating a criminal s seems to fuel the resolve around this method of justice. This suggests that mob justice is not just a fringe problem in uganda but commands attention.

However, equal justice is currently impossible to achieve due to the different economic circumstances and social situations of the citizenry. Mob justice, civil disobedience, instant justice, institutions, developing countries, ghana. The scourge of crime is pretexted as the main reason behind the mob attacks which the community qualifies by the claim that the police are. Implications of mob justice practice among communities in.

While the prevalence of mob justice in ghana is not known, condemnations by ghanaians from all walks of life often suggested a surge in. In the journal implication of mob justice practice among communities in ghana a survey conducted by ernest adugyamfi on 1,000 people, including males and females, in the kumasi metropolis which is the capital city of the ashanti region, consist of 20 suburbs and people who are 18 years and above. Willing to kill factors contributing to mob justice in. Similarly, in april 2011, the sad news of aminas predicament went viral on social media when she was arrested by some male students of the mensah sarbah hall annex b at the university of ghana, for allegedly stealing a laptop and other gadgets belonging to a female student. Emerging trends and prospects charles manga fombad paper 2 25 the evolution of organized crime and illicit trafficking in africa, and its implications for citizen and state security mark shaw and tuesday reitano paper 3 47 transitional justice in postconflict and crisis reconstruction and. The christian churchs role in the escalating mob justice. Mob justice in south africa is known to be one of the ways of dealing with criminals in black townships.

The justification of mob injustice in ghana simon aseno. Upper denkyira west district of the central region by a mob that mistook him for an armed robber citifmonline, 2017a. Impacts of mob injustice on the rule of law in ghana grin. In many african countries citizens administer justice. Mob justice or instant justice is when usual people take the law into their own hands and aggressively carry judgment and punishment on a suspected criminal. The study recommended that ghana needs a decisive evaluation of her criminal procedure code with the purpose of amending the outmoded procedures which impede swift trial and eradicating mob justice practice in ghanaian communities demands a rigorous effort of the government, state institutions, nongovernmental organizations, civil society. In 2017 alone, over five 5 cases of mob action was reported in ghana with the most recent victim being a major in the ghana army who was. Take stock of why the incidence of mob justice or mob injustice as others like samson lardy anyenini would prefer to call it, is on the rise. Mob justice incidents may not be occurring daily but their spread across the calendar is an uncomfortable reality everyone should be concerned of.

Moresco, mob justice on the rise this description, capturing the reaction of people in a suburb of accra, ghana, when they heard cries to catch a young man sus. Mob justice as an emerging medicolegal, social and public. Public administration exists primarily to enforce laws and the extent to which this mandate is carried out espouses trust among citizenry in the entire political system. Mob justice fears after soldiers gruesome death in ghana.

A critical assessment of public administration and civil. Tanzania to determine the causes and injury characteristics of mob justice cases and the outcome of treatment. But its largely been overlooked as a legal topic worthy of indepth consideration. Excessive delay in disposal of simple criminal cases gives rise to mob action and selfhelp. Afrobarometer, a nonprofit corporation with headquarters in ghana, is a pan. Instant justice, also referred to as mob justice or vigilantism, occurs when a group of people imposes their own justice on a suspected offender or criminal. Ms akuffo was nominated as chief justice of ghana by president nana addo dankwa akufoakufo in may. Vigilantism challenges the formal boundary between crime and punishment, between law and justice. The fight against mob justice can only be won if, and only if every ghanaian, regardless of sex, age, religion, status, family background, occupation, level of education and class is deemed as important as. Pdf does trust in public institutions impact mob justice.

Mob justice is not only criminal but also amounts to a violation of. Understanding mob justice in south africa crime is prevalent in south africa,1 and the countrys crime rate is amongst the highest in the globe. Consequently, the paper makes a number of recommendations that should be considered in an attempt to put an end to the practice in order to uphold the supremacy of the rule of law needed for the entrenchment of democracy and good governance in ghana. It is gods children who are being traumatised by these violent killings. The foremost motivating factor is inordinate delay in justice delivery in ghana. Jun 25, 2017 i join the many ghanaians home and abroad in commiserating with his wife and children. To explain in a different way, vigilantism thrives.

Equal justice implicitly includes equal access to justice. A mob is a group of unorganised vigilantes or individuals acting at the spur of the moment in pursuit of their own interests, or what they perceive as justice. Mob justice instant justice vigilantism in ghana serves as an indictment on the 1992 constitution of ghana, creates a heightened sense of fear among citizens. How south africa can turn the rising tide against vigilantism. Jan 23, 20 mob justice has been prevalent in societies all over the world let alone africa. A citizen of ghana may hold the citizenship of any other country in addition. Mob justice still occurs with its perpetrators largely going unpunished.

Tanzania to determine the causes and injury characteristics of mobjustice cases and the outcome of treatment. Mob justice is a result of perceived judiciary failure. There were multiple reports police failed to prevent and respond to societal violence, in particular incidents of mob justice. It is therefore convincing to cast it deep rooted in human nature to react in collectives to perform group punishment when they feel wronged. The term coming of age, denotes a young persons transition from adolescence to adulthood. The pinnacle of the values of any society is reflected in its justice system. Robin glad, asa stromberg and anton westerlund key words. Pdf public administration and civil disobedience in.

In south africa, all unnatural deaths fall under the ambit of the forensic pathology service as. According to the laws of ghana, this act is illegal and. Pdf a critical assessment of public administration and. In any case, the judicial system is the sole institution responsible for the administration of justice in ghana, as in other democracies. Addressing the root causes of mob justice such as poverty, lack of education, unemployment, and substance abuse will reduce the incidence of mob justice in our environment, hence saving life. In effect, the paper turns the paradigm upside down, thus making of mob justice mob injustice. If passed by the appointments committee after her vetting. The theory and practice of criminal justice in africa. While the prevalence of mob justice in ghana is not known. Impacts of mob injustice on the rule of law in ghana politics international politics region. Khayelitsha, new brighton, gugulethu and others in resorting to mob justice. Implications of mob justice practice among communities in ghana.

An offduty soldier in ghana who was lynched while out running was laid to rest with full state honours yesterday, in a case that has sparked fears about the growing menace of mob justice. Speaking at the consultative forum on instant mob justice and national security at accra in may 2007, the then security minister, mr francis poku noted that the spate of instant mob justice in the country is an indication of lack of confidence in the countrys legal system. In our part of the world, the causes of mob action are too numerous that one may readily, and justifiably so, endorse the act. Mob justice, instance justice, rule of law, human rights, justice, ghana 1. Curbing mob justice in ghana the role of the media. The phenomenon of violent selfhelp is, however, by no. Ghana 6 country reports on human rights practices for 2018 united states department of state bureau of democracy, human rights and labor prevent and respond to societal violence, in particular incidents of mob justice. The muchpublicised murder of major mahama is a most despicable act. Mob justice in ghana has been the topic under discussion. Pdf a critical assessment of public administration and civil disobedience in developing african democracies. Pdf a critical assessment of public administration and civil. N1,500,000 fine to be paid by the community in which mob justice took place, to be turned over to the victims family. Petty thieves are stoned, burglars are beaten to death or lynched. Mob justice, also known as instant justice or jungle justice, occurs in various towns and cities in ghana.

The rule of law and instant justice in ghana a lamentation. Mob justice a qualitative research regarding vigilante justice in modern uganda. In a survey data of 374 residents in accra, ghana, tankebe 2009 concluded that the two most important predictors of mob justice are education and police. The fight against mob justice can only be won if, and only if every ghanaian, regardless of sex, age, religion, status, family background. Mob justice is therefore a violation of an individual. Mob justice merely takes time for mob to attack suddenly on an alleged crime suspect and the mob. The first part examines a number of conceptual issues of justice which serve as framework for the study. Impacts of mob injustice on the rule of law in ghana. Mob justice, corrupt and unproductive justice system in. Research paper undergraduate from the year 2012 in the subject politics international politics region. The constitution makes human rights in ghana everybody. Impacts of mob in justice on the rule of law in ghana politics international politics region.

Public administration and civil disobedience in developing countries. Vigilante homicides in contemporary ghana request pdf. Mob justice is a practice whereby a mob takes the law into their own hands in order to injure or kill a person accused of wrongdoing 5. Mob justice constitutes a medicolegal, social and public health problem in tanzania that needs immediate attention. In most cases, instant justice is meted out on someone, in communities both large and small across ghana.

Mob justice, judicial system, social class, crowd violence mob justice can be explained as a situation where a crowd of people, sometimes several hundred, take the law into their own hands, act as accusers, jury and judge. Frequencies, percentages, bar graph and non parametric test chi square test were used to analyze the data collected. Addressing the problem of political vigilantism in ghana. A study by the ghana integrity initiative, conducted in 2016 and released in february, indicated 61 percent of respondents had paid a bribe to police. This is largely due to the fact that people have lost faith in a police force and judicial system that have been derailed by corruption, incompetence, and inadequate resources. The study aimed at assessing the relationship between institutional effectiveness and civil disobedience in ghana using the specific case of how perception of unresponsive police and legal systems do contribute to mob justice. It has been recorded in times as early as the romans and even possibly before then. They say police are lazy and inefficient and incapable of doi. For more stories visit residents have had enough of crime. Mob justice or instant justice occurs when a mob, usually several dozens or several hundreds of people take the law into their hands to injure, maim and kill a person or persons accused of wrongdoing. Addressing the root causes of mob justice such as poverty, lack of education, unemployment, and substance abuse will reduce the incidence of mob justice in.