MR. SIAW MANDELA: PRESIDENT NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ARRESTS OVER ALLEGED INSULTS AGAINST STATE OFFICIALS

Political Analyst Siaw Madela has argued that President John Dramani Mahama should not be held personally responsible for arrests involving individuals accused of insulting state officials. According to him, arrests are carried out by the appropriate security and law-enforcement agencies based on their assessment of alleged offences and the applicable legal procedures. He therefore says it is necessary to distinguish between decisions taken by security agencies and direct instructions from the President. Madela further maintains that whenever an individual is arrested, the relevant institutions should be allowed to establish the facts and follow due process rather than automatically attributing the action to the government. His comments come amid public discussions about arrests and allegations involving individuals accused of making offensive or insulting remarks against public officials. The broader issue also raises questions about the balance between freedom of expression, responsible speech, and enforcement of the law. The specific circumstances of any arrest, including the alleged offence, the conduct of the arresting officers and whether proper legal procedures were followed, would need to be established from the relevant authorities and court records before drawing conclusions.