Parliament has ratified the amended Vigilantism and Related Offences Bill, 2019 into law after it had worked on a detected problem with the sentencing regime in the one passed earlier.

The Legislature, therefore, rescinded its earlier decision for approval of the Vigilantism Bill to make amendments to Clauses 7 and 10 of the Bill.

The bill was laid in the House by Gloria Afua Akuffo, Attorney General and Minister of Justice on 10th April, 2019.

Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Majority Leader moved the motion for the House to rescind its decision on 22nd July, 2019, in respect of the Third Reading of the Vigilantism and Related Offences Bill, 2019.

The purpose of the law is to disband political party vigilante groups and forbid acts of vigilantism in the country, following the continuous violence that has characterized the country’s by-elections.

The law applies to persons who participate in the activities of a vigilante group that is associated, related, connected or affiliated to a political party, political party officials, or a political party member.

Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu also explained that there were issues with the recording in proceedings, which was inconsistent with what was captured, adding that, the bill should be written in a more appropriate form.

Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu also stated that the amendments of Clauses 7 and 10 of the Vigilantism Bill states that, if a person is convicted of acts of vigilantism, the minimum period of imprisonment is 10 years and not five years as was wrongly captured.

He said the amendment of the two clauses is to tidy up the bill before its third reading.

Subsequently, the bill went through another consideration stage before the motion was read for the third time and then passed into law.