Lawyer avails legal service to convicted soldier

A legal practitioner, Mr Yaw Oppong, has offered to provide legal services to the soldier, who has been convicted and sentenced to 90 days in military guardroom for flouting military regulations.

Isaac Lincoln Wassah, who was seen recently in a viral video supporting the campaign against a new parliamentary chamber has also been stripped of his rank from Lance Corporal to a private soldier.

Private Wassah of 2 Recce Squadron in Sunyani was sentenced after a summary trial.

But, in an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Oppong said the sentence was too harsh and that he was available to offer legal services for the convicted soldier.

Counsel explained that he would study the process leading to the conviction and advise accordingly when given the opportunity.

Mr Oppong said he had in the past appealed the conviction of a soldier through court marshal and was successful.

Trial

The hearing was chaired by the Commanding Officer of the unit, Lt Col W. A. K Ackah. Other members of the board were Captain V. Bempong, WO1 V. Dafliso, Sgt R. Attor and L/Cpl J. O. Okumtey.

Private Wassah was convicted after he had been subjected to series of questions, a source close to the trial said.

The source disclosed that Wassah did not show remorse for his actions.

“His acts were in clear contravention of military rules. His action brought the name of the Ghana Armed Forces into disrepute,” the source said.

Drop That Chamber  

The Drop That Chamber campaign was initiated on social media with the aim of mounting pressure on Parliament to discontinue with the proposal to build a new chamber that cost an estimated $200 million and could accommodate about 450 Members of Parliament (MPs).

Many Ghanaians joined the social media campaign that was also intended to mobilise about two million Ghanaians to march on the streets on July 13, this year to register their displeasure, if the request was not heeded.

That was when Wassah also made a video, urging President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo not to buy into the idea to have a new parliamentary chamber built since there were many pressing issues facing the country.

Following the release of the video, Wassah was arrested by the Military High Command for interrogation.