The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), is urging the swift passage of the Witness Protection Law to safeguard the rights and security of persons who reveal information on crime.
CHRAJ maintains that it will be difficult to pursue criminal cases if informants are not assured of adequate protection by the state.
The comments follow claims by an informant in the murder case involving the former Abuakwa North MP, J.B. Danquah Adu, that he has been subjected to physical assault by some unknown persons he believes are connected to the Police. Service.
The Commissioner of CHRAJ, Joseph Whittal, in a Citi News interview said he is hopeful that cabinet will soon approve and forward the bill to Parliament for passage.
“Presently, the Commission has got government in the past to appreciate the need to pass the Witness Protection Law. It has slowed so far, but we are expecting that these are the incidents that will let the government rise up to the realities of protecting people who actually have information that they want to come out, but will be afraid of reprisal attacks,” he said.
Analysts are of the view that the failure of the state to protect witnesses and informants who provide relevant information on crime prevents many citizens from owning up to volunteer such information.
Some informants have recounted instances where police officers exposed their identities to suspects, making them targets for attacks.
There is currently no law that guarantees the protection of witnesses, and the situation presents a major challenge to prosecutors who require key information from citizens to prosecute crime.
Source:citifmonline.com