Court stops marijuana decriminalization demo

For the second consecutive time, the Ghana Police on Wednesday stopped a planned demonstration by the Rastafaria Council of Ghana to push for decriminalization of marijuana in the country. The Council was forced to call off the demonstration which was scheduled for Accra due to a 10-day injunction secured by the Police. On May 8, the Council had to call off the first demonstration due to a similar injunction applied for and secured by the Police. Public Relations Officer of the Council, Moses Asante Mireku, confirmed they had served with the injunction, which he said was secured ex-parte. “In the absence of the respondent [Rastafari Council Ghana] and our legal representative lawyer, George Wayo, the judge at the commercial court yesterday ruled a ten-day injunction on the intended cannabis decriminalization march scheduled for today”, he explained. He said the council will continue to use all available legal means to press home their demands to have marijuana decriminalized in Ghana. He called on the public to join their cause, noting they will be in court again on a later date for the matter. “We would like to appeal to you all our members and allies in this struggle to once again mobilize our human and financial resources to contest the position of the Ghana police service on the right of citizens to demonstrate against laws that are unfavorable to the state, taxpayers, users and cultivators of cannabis. “We will reappear in court to corroborate our rights and your continued  support will be needed”, he said. Meanwhile, Mr. Mireku announced an upcoming National Cannabis Conference on July 23 at the Accra Tourism and Information Center, which he said, will be the first of its kind. By Jennifer Akorfa|editors.3news.com |Ghana