The United Nations (UN) has condemned last Thursday’s raid at a Kumasi Circuit court by pro-NPP vigilante group, Delta Force which led to the release of 13 suspects standing trial.

The international body in a statement Monday said it is increasingly concerned about operations of vigilante groups that are linked to political parties in the country.

It cautioned the image of Ghana as a "model of democracy and the rule of law" would be tarnished if government does not bring destructive activities of these groups under control.

"The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, and the Resident Coordinator of the UN system in Ghana, Christine Evans-Klock, have followed with consternation the acts of impunity perpetrated by the Delta Force vigilante group in the aftermath of December 2016 elections," the statement said.

Please read full statement below:

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

STATEMENT BY THE UNITED NATIONS ON RECENT VIOLENCE

AT KUMASI CIRCUIT COURT

Accra, Ghana: 10 April 2017 – The United Nations has consistently drawn attention to the negative role of vigilante groups in the two leading political parties of Ghana.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, and the Resident Coordinator of the UN system in Ghana, Christine Evans-Klock, have followed with consternation the acts of impunity perpetrated by the Delta Force vigilante group in the aftermath of December 2016 elections.

They are particularly concerned that these political militants invaded the premises of Kumasi Circuit Court on 6 April 2017, and freed their members standing trial for assault on the Regional Security Coordinator on 24 March 2017. These acts are likely to tarnish the image of Ghana as a model of democracy and the rule of law.

The two UN officials outrightly denounce these reprehensible acts that are the latest in a series of similar incidents since the end of the December 2016 elections in Ghana.

They welcome positively the unambiguous condemnation of these acts by the government and expect that all necessary measures will be taken to investigate these actions and bring the perpetrators to justice.

For more information:

Cynthia Prah

National Information Officer

UN Information Centre, Accra