Senior Police Officer and Operational Commander of Northern Region Superintendent Richard Lantei Odartey, says while security agencies have the power to arrest suspects in vote-buying cases, securing convictions depends on strong and credible evidence of influence.
Speaking on JoyNews’ “Democracy Is Not for Sale” forum, Supt. Odartey stressed that arrest alone is not enough, as the law requires proof beyond reasonable doubt to sustain such cases in court.
“We have the right to arrest, but it goes beyond that. We must be able to prove why we have arrested you,” he said.
He explained that simply giving money or gifts does not automatically amount to vote buying unless it can be shown that the act influenced the voter’s decision.
“You cannot just say because someone gave GH¢20 or food, it means the person has been influenced. You need clear proof,” he noted.
According to him, such proof may include testimony from the recipient confirming that the gift affected their vote, or other concrete evidence linking the inducement to voter behaviour.
He further pointed out that giving is culturally and socially accepted, making it even more difficult to establish criminal intent.
“Giving is natural and even cultural. So you must prove that what was given was enough to influence the person,” he added.
Supt. Odartey also highlighted the lack of cooperation in political cases, noting that both the giver and the recipient often deny wrongdoing.
“The people involved will deny it was for that purpose, so we need hard evidence, recordings or testimony before the court can act,” he said.
He called for continuous public education on electoral laws, stressing that a better understanding of the legal requirements could help curb the practice.
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