Parliament detects an error in the Vigilance Bill 3 days after its adoption

General News of Thursday, July 25, 2019

Source: rainbowradioonline.com

2019-07-25

The vigilantism bill, pbaded just three days ago, must be rescinded following the detection of an anomaly.

Speaking during an interview with Kwabena Agyapong on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, the Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. Ben Abdallah Banda, revealed that the anomaly related to the sentencing regime was detected during the compilation. various sections of the bill.

He explained that the provision in the bill that a person convicted of a vigilance-related offense who has served a minimum five-year term of imprisonment could not hold a public office is at odds with the provision of the 1992 Constitution which limits this offense to ten years.

He revealed to the host, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mrs. Gloria Akuffo, a motion to cancel third reading in order to pbad the bill at the second reading stage for that the article be amended for a minimum of five years. 10 years to comply with the provision of the Constitution.

When asked if the decision was clear in view of the lack of diligence of the deputies, he disagreed, saying that the diligence of the deputies had instead made it possible to detect the anomaly.

The purpose of the law is to dissolve party supporters' groups and to ban acts of vigilance in the country as a result of the ongoing violence that has characterized the by-elections in the country.

The law applies to persons participating in the activities of a self – defense group badociated with, related to, affiliated with or affiliated with a political party, political party leaders or a member of the self – defense group. a political party.

This also applies to people who act as wardens and those who engage in other acts of vigilance.

Every person who contravenes the provisions of the Act is guilty of an offense and liable on summary conviction to a minimum term of imprisonment of five years and not more than fifteen years.

Similarly, a person who violates the provisions will be punished, on summary conviction, with a term of imprisonment of not less than five years and not more than fifteen years.