Member of Parliament for the Tamale Central Constituency, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed has described the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) as a 'bunch of hypocrites'.

According to him, the Association behaves like a subsidiary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Speaking in an interview with Benjamin Akakpo on the AM Show on Thursday, he stated that over time, the Association has been very selective in its commentary on public issues. This the MP said is an evidence of the Association's hypocrisy.

In his submission, he cited instances where the GBA has been silent even though he felt they should have made their voices heard; since the issues bordered on the violation of human rights.

"The Ghana Association; these are a bunch of hypocrites. I agree with everything they said about it, but I'm saying that they're a bunch of hypocrites. But who doesn't know?

They behave like an NPP wing. In this country, the La Mansha Naa's Palace in Tamale, Police gunned down a gentleman. The Ghana Bar Association didn't see the need to say anything. In this country, people who went to demonstrate and participate in an electoral process, they were gunned down under the instruction of the government. The Ghana Bar Association didn't see a jot about what happened to those citizens", he lamented.

The NDC lawmaker added that "So they (the Ghana Bar Association), pick and choose what pleases them. There have been a lot of [issues]. Look, at Nkoranza, when they killed that gentleman, where was the Ghana Bar Association? They were in an absolute state on incommunicado. So my problem with them is that, what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

The same Ghana Bar Association issued an official statement when the NDC lost elections in 2000 and said that they were never going to engage in political discourse again. These are a bunch of hypocrites".

Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed continued: "Other people can do that, but for them, I have a problem. Because [in] several incidents, those I have mentioned, they didn't see the need.

When Major Mahama was killed what did they say about it? When they shot down people at Techiman South and other places, and at Ayawaso, what did they say about it? They were quiet.

It was violation of the rights of people. It was an attack on our democratic processes. You had military who were commandeered by ministers of state to Parliament. The Ghana Bar Association didn't see the need to comment. Who are they trying to deceive?".

Mr. Murtala Mohammed's comments were in reaction to the Association's condemnation of the flogging of two lovers at the forecourt of the Wa Naa’s palace in the Upper West Region.

In a statement dated June 1, the GBA stated that the flogging of the individuals was humiliating, dehumanizing and also an infringement of their fundamental human rights.

“The flogging of the young persons is antiquated, backward, barbaric and abominable, and the GBA condemns same in no uncertain terms. The barbaric act contravenes Articles 12 (2) and 15 (1) (2) (a) and (b) of the 1992 Constitution” parts of the statement read.

In view of this, GBA called on “the relevant security agencies to arrest all persons involved in the physical abuse of the two young persons, investigate the incident and ensure that the perpetrators are prosecuted in accordance with the law".

But the Tamale Central MP, Murtala Mohammed insists the GBA is discriminatory in its comments on issues of public interest. According to him, even though the GBA's stance on the flogging is in order, he is not happy with their characteristic hypocrisy.

Background

On Tuesday, May 31, two lovers were reportedly beaten because they were seen in a sex tape that had gone viral on social media.

According to the young men who flogged them, it was wrong for them to have filmed their sexual act.

They were therefore punished for tarnishing the reputation of the town and for engaging in an act that is frowned upon by Islam.

Reports indicated that the duo were arrested by some young men in the town and taken to the Palace. However, upon their arrival at the Palace, the Wa Naa was absent. 

The young men, instead of waiting on the Chief, decided to take the matter into their own hands and delivered a punishment they deemed fit.

The two victims were given 20 lashes each.

Following preliminary investigations, the police in the Upper West Region arrested three persons in connection with the flogging of the lovers.

The officers first arrested 32-year-old Bushran Khidiri, a phone repairer. He is alleged to be one of the young men who forced the young lady in the leaked sex video to the Wa Naa’s palace for the flogging.

Later, 70 year old Issahaku Mahama and and 62 year old Naa Sidiki Mahama, a farmer from Wa-Dobile, were arrested. 

The duo are alleged to be part of a meeting at the palace that ordered the flogging of the lovers.