Human Rights lawyer Francis Xavier Sosu, has expressed his displeasure with the death sentence handed six coup plotters.
The six individuals accused of being part of a coup plot were on Wednesday, January 24, found guilty of conspiring to commit high treason and committing high treason and sentenced to death by hanging.
However, Mr Sosu said the verdict was disheartening because the world has advanced, and sentencing convicts to death by hanging is considered archaic.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Newsnight on January 24, 2024, he said “Honestly, it is quite disappointing that in this day and age, despite all the gains Ghana has made internationally with respect to the abolition of the death penalty, we will still be having a sentence of death by hanging.
“It is a bit retrogressive and it flies in the face of the human rights records or the human rights progress we have achieved as a people.”
Mr Sosu emphasised that it was high time the country considered reviewing the law. “I believe that this is the time for us to have a deeper reflection and do a sober reflection as a people, rethink the use of the death penalty.
“As you are aware, when you look at the campaigns that we have done over the years from either the judiciary, the Police Service, Prison authorities, everyone is of the view that we need to replace the law on death penalty with life imprisonment,” he added.
He explained that despite the calls for an amendment, that has not yet been done for which reason the court can still impose death by hanging, although Ghana has not executed anyone in many years.