Chaos at Awutu Senya registration centre: Bring perpetrators to book – EC charges security agencies

The Electoral Commission (EC) has condemned attacks on its official by Political Party supporters and sympathizers at the Step to Christ registration centre in the Awutu Senya East constituency.

Officials of the EC closed down the Step to Christ registration centre in the Awutu Senya East constituency after gun-wielding men stormed the premises.

Eyewitnesses say, the men numbering at least 15 arrived at the centre around 8 am and tried to sack some prospective voters.

This resulted in a scuffle that saw gunshots fired and three motorbikes burnt.

In a statement, the EC called on the security agencies to investigate and bring the culprits to book. “The Commission condemns such acts during a civil exercise like the Registration of Voters and calls on security agencies to investigate the issue as a matter of urgency to bring the perpetrators to book”

The EC added that, “These acts constitute a breach of the Vigilante and Related Offenses Act, 2019 Act 999. The Act seeks to disband violent activities of Political Parties and makes political vigilantism an offense punishable by a prison term.”

Below is the full statement

The Electoral Commission has noted with concern some acts of violence at some Registration Centres across the country in the form of physical and verbal attacks on its Officials. The violence is perpetuated by Political Party supporters and sympathizers.

One of such incidents occurred today at the Step to Christ Voters Registration Centre in the Awutu Senya East Constituency in the Central Region where unidentifiable gunmen attacked Officials at the Centre and disrupted the process by firing gunshots.

The Commission condemns such acts during a civil exercise like the Registration of Voters and calls on security agencies to investigate the issue as a matter of urgency to bring the perpetrators to book.

These acts constitute a breach of the Vigilante and Related Offenses Act, 2019 Act 999. The Act seeks to disband violent activities of Political Parties and makes political vigilantism an offense punishable by a prison term.

The Commission reminds the public, particularly Political Party agents, that any person who wishes to challenge an Applicant on the basis of ineligibility must fill a Challenge Form, which will then be presented to the District Registration Review Committee for a
ruling on the matter. Political Party agents are therefore cautioned against the use of violence to challenge a person’s eligibility.

The Commission calls on the public to condemn the violence and urges all eligible voters to turn out in their numbers to register to vote in the 2020 General Election.