Parliament made Ghana proud by abolishing the death penalty – Xavier Sosu

The Member of Parliament for the Madina constituency Francis-Xavier Sosu, says MPs have made the country proud by removing the death penalty. Parliament, on Tuesday, July 25, passed the Criminal Offences Amendment Act 2022, which seeks to replace the death penalty with a life sentence.

In Ghana, the death penalty is imposed after a conviction for murder, attempt to commit murder, genocide, or piracy and smuggling of gold or diamond. Speaking on Eyewitness News, the MP who solely pushed for the passage of the Act applauded his colleague MPs for doing what is necessary.

“I think that there have been very sound arguments in support of abolishing the death penalty, and the arguments are researched-based. The death penalty is too final. Parliament today did the needful and made Ghana proud in the Comity of Nations by abolishing the death penalty. I think this is a good thing for Ghana,” the MP remarked.

However, a religious lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr Harry Agbanu, who thinks otherwise, expressed dissatisfaction with the passage of the Criminal Offences Amendment Act 2022. He argues that the removal of the death penalty will encourage lots of citizens to take the law into their hands.

“The floodgate has been opened for violent, criminal activities by some members of society, and that is unfortunate. I’m praying that the opportunities won’t be created for people to take the law into their own hands by engaging in mob action. There has not been any sound argument in favour of the abolishment of the death penalty,” he asserted.

By: Leticia Osei