Francis-Xavier Sosu, the Member of Parliament for the Madina constituency, expressed pride in his fellow MPs for abolishing the death penalty in Ghana. On Tuesday, July 25, Parliament passed the Criminal Offences Amendment Act 2022, which replaces the death penalty with a life sentence.
Under the new law, the death penalty, previously applicable for offenses like murder, attempted murder, genocide, piracy, and smuggling of gold or diamond, has been eliminated.
In an interview on Eyewitness News, MP Francis-Xavier Sosu commended his colleagues for their efforts in passing the Act. He highlighted the well-researched arguments supporting the abolition of the death penalty, emphasizing that it is a positive step for Ghana, making the country proud in the international community.
However, not everyone shares the same viewpoint. Dr. Harry Agbanu, a religious lecturer at the University of Ghana, expressed his dissatisfaction with the passage of the Criminal Offences Amendment Act 2022. He believes that removing the death penalty might lead to an increase in citizens taking the law into their own hands, potentially resulting in more violent and criminal activities.
Dr. Agbanu expressed concerns that the abolition of the death penalty may open the floodgates to mob action and emphasized that he has not heard convincing arguments in favor of doing away with the capital punishment.
Source – citinewsroom.com
