Government Identifies 21 Suspects Linked to 2020 and 2024 Election Violence — Interior Minister
The Minister for the Interior, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed, has disclosed that 21 individuals have been identified in connection with electoral violence recorded during Ghana’s 2020 and 2024 general elections, which claimed 15 lives and left 40 others injured.
Updating the public on the government’s efforts to address political violence, Alhaji Muntaka revealed that four suspects have been granted bail, five remain on remand, while warrants have been issued for the arrest of others still at large.
The announcement follows a directive issued in January by President John Dramani Mahama to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to investigate all fatalities and acts of violence recorded during both election periods. A special task force from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) led the probe.
According to the CID’s findings, the violence stemmed largely from clashes between supporters of rival political parties and incidents involving security personnel using live ammunition to disperse crowds. Three of the reported incidents involved police patrol teams, leading to four deaths, while military personnel were implicated in three additional fatalities. Firearm-related clashes among party supporters accounted for five more deaths.
The suspects were identified through eyewitness accounts, crime-scene analysis, and forensic evidence. The Attorney General is currently prosecuting three individuals, with additional arrests and prosecutions anticipated.
The report also cited procedural lapses and professional negligence by some police officers, describing the use of live ammunition against civilians as “avoidable and unprofessional.” It recommended immediate reforms to election security protocols and disciplinary action against culpable officers.
Among the key recommendations were:
– Compensation for families of the deceased and injured, supervised by the Attorney General’s office.
– Regular police training to discourage the use of lethal force during crowd control.
– Provision of non-lethal equipment to security services.
– Capacity building for election security management, emphasizing coordination between the police and military.
– Education for political parties on the Anti-Vigilante Act and responsible campaign conduct.
President Mahama has instructed that all recommendations be implemented promptly, including the payment of compensation to affected families.
Alhaji Muntaka reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening election security and ensuring that all suspects face justice, stressing that the administration “remains resolute in preventing the recurrence of electoral violence in Ghana.”
