Deputy Attorney-General Ebo Barton-Odro has justified the decision to re-arrest seven drug suspects who were set free by the court after the the state filed a Nolle Prosequi to indicate it was no longer interested in prosecuting them. The suspects were picked up at the precincts of the court by a combined team of BNI and police officers soon after their release. Their Lawyers have accused the AG’s department of trampling on the rights of their clients. But, Ebo Barton-Odro told Joy News the action is in line with government’s fight against drug trafficking. “The crusade against narcotics is a serious one; we are not joking with it, please.” The Deputy Minister argued that narcotics case is a non-bailable offence, which the lawyers of the suspects are very much aware of. He therefore questioned the circumstances under which the suspects were given bail, saying, the argument raised by the defense attorneys that the prosecution was given an “unreasonable period” of one month to gather its evidence was untenable. Meanwhile, the manner in which security officials went about arresting the suspects has provoked calls for the rigid compliance with the protocol for effecting arrest. Project Officer of the Access to Justice Programme at the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative Mina Mensah, told Joy News the Police can do better. She is therefore urging the public to seek answers as to why they are being arrested during such encounters with the police. She also stressed the need for the public to lodge complaints against offending police or other security officials. Source: Joy News/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana