We can’t locate some arrested Democracy Hub protesters – Lawyer

• Sep 23, 2024

One of the lawyers representing the arrested protesters from the Democracy Hub has raised concerns over the difficulty in locating some of the individuals detained by the police.

Godslove Bokope revealed that while they have been able to track down some of the protesters, several others remain unaccounted for.

Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Monday, September 23, he noted that in some cases, they are denied access and food.

The arrests followed a protest organised by Democracy Hub on Sunday, aimed at opposing illegal mining activities (galamsey).

Over 40 protesters were arrested and are expected to appear before the court soon. However, according to Mr. Bokopee, the legal team is facing challenges in gaining access to the detainees or even confirming their whereabouts.

"We know where some of them are, but we are struggling to keep track of the rest," Mr. Bokopee said, explaining that the protesters have been scattered across different police stations in the city, making it difficult to keep track of everyone.

"You would go to a police station, and they would inform you that the protesters are not in their custody, even though you’ve received prior information that you’re supposed to go to that particular police station," Mr. Bokope explained.

In cases where the legal team has confirmed the protesters' location, they have been denied access to their clients due to what the police referred to as an "order from above," he added.

Furthermore, he mentioned that some officers have required the presence of an investigating officer from the Regional Command before allowing any interaction with the detainees.