Ashanti Regional Police Commander has condemned attempts by sections of the public who have accused the police of being bias in the handling of the case against hiplife artiste, Kwaw Kese.
According to DCOP Kofi Boakye, per the laws governing the country, it is an offense to smoke cannabis in public and the controversial rapper did that with impunity by also smoking close to a police barrier.
Kwaw Kese, born Emmanuel Botchwey, was arrested by the police in Kumasi on Saturday, November 22, for allegedly smoking cannabis in public.
The rapper appeared before the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Circuit Court on Monday, and was remanded into prison custody after he was denied bail.
Speaking on the matter in an interview with the Super Moring Show on Joy FM Thursday, DCOP Kofi Boakye said Kwaw Kese was arrested for smoking with impunity in public under the nose of the police.
“Nobody went to Kwaw Kese’s room to smell his mouth and search him to arrest him. He was smoking openly 20 metres from a police barrier and if the police have not arrested him, what do you think would happened to the confidence and trust that the people have for [the] police,” he questioned.
He further quizzed that, “what do you think will happen to other people who have been arrested based on something that is not up to this level?”
The Ashanti Regional Commander explained that Kwaw Kese’s case is an offense of drug use and one must also “look at the act of impunity. It is not what you do but how you do it in the world, it is not where you are but who you are. It’s not a matter as simple as using drug but it is the act of impunity, the act of carelessness [and] the act of lawlessness.”
“How can you go out to a pub, in front of the pub and sit down and start smoking? Even in Holland [and] Washington where it is legalized, you dare not smoke outside; you have to go to the coffee shop. Even where it is legalized, even public smoking of cigarette is prohibited how much more [Ghana]?”
DCOP Kofi Boakye stressed that the act of impunity exhibited by Kwaw Kese is “what we must all detest” and “prevent” because as a country that is governed by laws, “without law and order there cannot be economic development.”
He revealed that there have been several calls by individuals on the police to temper justice with mercy.
The Commander quizzed “how can you compromise on the law?”
The law "is not [like] selling tomatoes where you” can bargain, he added.
According to him, his “work is to present the facts as I see it to the judiciary and I will only do so when I realize that there is prima facie case established. We are not adjudicating officers so when we send it to court, the court in its own wisdom [will decide].”
Since the arrest of rapper, popularly known as ‘Abodam’, several celebrities including Samini, Shatta Wale, Yaa Pono, Kofi Kinaata, Dee Moneey and Wanlov have taken to social media networks to support a campaign - #FreeKwawKese – with the hope of getting him released.
Commenting on the campaign, DCOP Kofi Boakye observed that, “one mistake people are doing is that why should people say that they are going to form 'Free Kwaw Kese' group? Is he a political prisoner? That was a grievous mistake and it will not inure to the benefit of the accused. Why him but not the others; is it because he is a musician?”
This he said amounts to discrimination to the enforcement of the law but the police, he stressed, will not be discriminatory in their line of duty.
