DEATH OF CPP POLITICIAN IN GHANAIAN MILITARY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 002503

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: GH PGOV PHUM
SUBJECT: DEATH OF CPP POLITICIAN IN GHANAIAN MILITARY
CUSTODY

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY

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SUMMARY
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1. (SBU) On December 9, Convention Peoples Party (CPP)
politician Alhaji Issah Mobila, died in Tamale, capital of
the Northern Region of Ghana, while in military custody on
charges of possession of weapons. The police and military
are investigating. The opposition NDC party alleges Mobila
was abused before his death. The situation is likely to
remain under control. However, Tamale has a history of
violence, including during the December 7 election, and the
city remains somewhat tense. End summary.

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DEATH IN MILITARY CUSTODY
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2. (SBU) On December 9, Alhaji Issah Mobila, an Andani
activist and Northern Regional Chairman of the Convention
Peoples, Party (CPP),was arrested by the police in Tamale
on suspicion of dealing in arms. He was accused of helping to
distribute firearms to a number of communities around Tamale
prior to the elections. The police later turned him over to
local military custody. According to Ghanaian military
sources, the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) announced
before the election that anyone caught committing violent
acts during the election would be detained by the military,
not the police. The decision reportedly reflected a fear that
police stations were vulnerable to attacks and thus too
dangerous for detainees during election time. (Note: Such mob
attacks on police stations to protest detentions have
happened in the past year in Ghana. End note). Mobila died
the same night while in military custody, of unknown causes.


3. (U) The Inspector General of Police quickly formed a
commission to investigate the incident. On December 15, he
sent a team of police investigators to Tamale to look into
this and other election-related deaths in the city. According
to local press, a pathologist was sent to the area on
December 17 to conduct an autopsy.


4. (U) The NDC has urged calm while the police
investigation is ongoing. The party blamed Mobila's death and
the general state of insecurity in the north on NPP
functionaries and the security agencies. Obed Asamoah,
National Chairman of the NDC, called on security agencies
&to protect the life and property of members and supporters
of the party." He warned that if security agencies are
perceived as either unwilling or unable to do so, an
explosive situation is in the making. The NDC has demanded a
judicial inquiry into Mobila,s death insisting that he died
in custody as a result of torture at the hands of security
agencies. The NDC also alleged that it has been subjected to
abuses and harassment by NPP supporters, particularly in the
north, following the elections.


5. (U) While the NPP initially did not make a statement
about Mobila's death, on December 15, the Minister of
Information, Nana Akomea, responded to Mr. Asamoah's
accusations, stating that the death of CPP leader Mobila
should not be politicized by the NDC. He also stated that, in
addition to the IGP's investigation, the region's Army
Commander has set up a Board of Inquiry to determine how and
why Mobila died in military custody. The CPP has urged calm
while the police investigate.


6. (SBU) Tamale remains somewhat tense, although reportedly
not as tense as last week. Police have orders from the REGSEC
to "return fire for fire", which is reportedly helping deter
violence. Local police and military reportedly rounded up
suspected trouble makers last week, later releasing most of
them. According to one NGO contact in Tamale with good
access to the police, as of December 16, less than 20 of
those rounded up remained in police detention. At least one
group has threatened violent revenge for the Mobila death.
Civil society groups have been actively urging peace over the
past few days and Tamale Muslim leaders have urged local
authorities to retrieve firearms in the city. Mobila's
funeral later on December 17 may help put some of the
immediate tensions to rest.

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COMMENT
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7. (SBU) It is rare in today's Ghana for someone to be
detained, much less die, in military custody. In the
Northern Region, however, the military has been involved for
some time in the arrest and detention of civilians suspected
of inciting violence. The quickly launched police and
military investigations in this high profile case are
encouraging. The police and military are perceived by many
in the region as biased toward the NPP, especially in light
of slow movement toward justice in the 2002 murder of the
Ya-Na (traditional Dagbon chief). For the moment, with all
parties urging calm and an active police investigation, the
situation is likely to remain under control. However, this
case is delicate and has the potential to spur other violence
in the volatile Northern Region. Mobila's Andani identity
may fan flames of Andani-Abudu animosities (a dispute over
leadership of the Dagbon chieftaincy.) In contrast to the
Tamale tension, the atmosphere in the rest of Ghana
post-election has been generally peaceful. Most Ghanaians
have moved on from election issues to a Christmas mode.
LANIER