Private legal practitioner, Maurice Ampaw has debunked the popular notion that all individuals are equal before the law.
According to the lawyer, “Equality before the law is only a democratic jargon in Ghana…even in heaven, there is no equality”.
He was speaking on the arrest of Rev. Owusu Bempah and why he was granted bail on the Anopa Bofo morning show with host Kofi Adoma Nwanwani on Thursday, September 16, 2021.
“Don’t allow yourselves to be deceived in this country. The public assertion that we are all equal before the law is not functional in Ghana. Some people are not equal…it is a lie”.
He further argued that if all persons were equal before the law there wouldn’t be privileges reserved for some exempt people.
“Are you equal to President Akufo-Addo or a Member of Parliament?”, he questioned Kofi Adoma Nwanwani in an attempt to prove his argument.
Lawyer Ampaw added that religion is powerful and recognized under the Ghanaian Constitution hence, any attempt to touch the religious beliefs of a people would result in fierce resistance.
Alluding to the bible verse of John 18:10-11, where Simon-Peter cut off the ear of Malchus for trying to arrest Jesus, the lawyer said that people would defend themselves when they feel their beliefs are being threatened
“I am prepared to go to court. The right to defend your religious beliefs is guaranteed by the constitution, the police didn’t respect religion, they erred by going to Owusu-Bempah’s church premises during a live service…Jesus Christ!”, he said.
Touching on Owusu-Bempah’s remand, he said remanding the Man of God was ‘an act of wickedness’ because it had no legal basis but premised on the judge’s emotions.
Additionally, former Head of Monitoring Unit at the Forestry Commission, Charles Owusu, supported the lawyer’s opinion and further stated that in Ghana people are more interested in attacking personalities; not issues.
