Sosu Applauds Parliament For Abolishing Death Penalty

The Member of Parliament for Madina Francis-Xavier Sosu has commended his colleagues in Parliament for voting to abolish the death penalty.

On July 25, 2023, Parliament passed the Criminal Offences Amendment Act 2022, which seeks to replace the death penalty with life imprisonment.

The 1992 constitution of Ghana clarifies that the death penalty is to be imposed on convict(s) who have committed murder or attempts to commit murder, genocide or piracy, treason, and smuggling of gold or diamond.

Mr Sosu, an advocate championing the abolishment of capital punishment, said, “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”.

He spoke in an interview monitored by The Ghana Report on Citi FM.

However, a religious lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr Harry Agbanu, has shown dissatisfaction with abolishing the death penalty.

He said it would encourage people to take the law into their own 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 noted.