Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has demanded to know the specific authorisation in the search warrant obtained to enable the security operatives to raid the home of former Governof of the Bank of Ghana Dr Ernest Addison.
Kpebu says as of now, they do not know the authorisation in the warrant.
Kpebu said inasmuch as he will want Dr Addison to face justice, he will not support any illegal action against him.
“I want to see him face justice, but that does not mean I will support illegal actions against him,” he said on the Ghana Tonight show with Alfred Ocansey on TV3 on Thursday, March 20 while commenting on the raid on the home of Dr Addison by operatives of the National Security.
Regarding the search warrant that Deputy Attroney-General Justice Srem Sai said they obtained to enable them to read the home of Dr Addison, Kpebu said “As of now, we do not know the specific authorisations contained within the warrant.”
He added “You must tell the court exactly what you are searching for. Any action beyond that could undermine the legality of the entire operation.”
Deputy Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Justice Srem Sai had justified the raid after stating it was done in accordance with the law.
Srem Sai stated that warrants were procured and used for the raid.
“We take responsibility for the search that happened. We want to make it clear that those searches and the mode in which they were done were in accordance with the law. Warrants were procured and used,” he told journalists in Accra on Thursday, March 20.
Founding President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, also said although he supports Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL), it does not mean that those in charge of ORAL should be brute.
He says they must not act like over-drugged bandits in searching for information.
Reacting to the raid on the home of former Governor of of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Ernest Addison, by National Security Operatives, he said in a Facebook post “I support ORAL. Supporting ORAL doesn’t mean we should be brute and act like overdrugged bandits in ‘searching’ for information.”
In a separate post, he stated that search warrants are used for lawful searches, not to vandalise property, or steal food, money and jewellery.
This is what happens in a civilised country, he said.
He was reacting to the allegation that Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin made that some money could not be found after Richard Jakpa led national security operatives stormed the home of former Governor of Bank of Ghana Dr Ernest Addison in Roman Ridge, Accra, on Wednesday, March 19.
The operatives reportedly disabled the CCTV system before conducting their search.
“Some GHC10,000 on his bed could not be found. So some of these hungry party foot soldiers they use who parade themselves as National Security Operatives are after all perhaps not being paid, and they use this opportunity to steal,” Afenyo-Markin claimed.
In a Facebook post, Franklin Cudjoe said “It is embarassing for the Majority Leader of the ruling govt to be rendering apologies on behalf of state-sponsored thugs who raid the home of citizens. In a civilised country, warrants secured are for lawful searches, not to vandalise property, steal food, money and jewelry.”
READ ALSO: Empty money storage boxes found in Ex-BoG Governor Addison’s home – National Security
According to National Security officials, they had obtained a search warrant before entering Dr. Addison’s Roman Ridge home. They claim the operation was based on intelligence suggesting that the former governor was in possession of funds belonging to the central bank.
However, they firmly denied allegations that operatives stole cash or jewelry from the household.
“We did not take any money or jewelry from Dr. Addison’s home. We will, in due course, make public a full list of items retrieved during the search
