Hopeson Adorye, a prominent member of Alan Kyerematen’s Movement for Change, was detained by police on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. His arrest took place following comments he made in a recent media interview.
Adorye’s arrest, which has garnered significant attention, was captured in a video showing him in handcuffs being escorted to court on Thursday morning. He spent the night at the Ministries Police Station.
The arrest stems from Adorye’s statements about his involvement in the 2016 elections. In a viral interview, he confessed to using dynamites to deter voters in the Volta Region, traditionally a stronghold of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to Adorye, this strategy significantly reduced voter turnout, benefiting the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
“Three days before the election, we used dynamites to create fear and prevent people from voting. As a result, voter turnout in the Volta Region dropped dramatically. Some polling stations, which typically see about 500 voters, had only 170 people show up by 2 pm,” Adorye said in the interview.
Supporters of the Movement for Change, wearing yellow-branded T-shirts, have rallied outside the police station, demanding Adorye’s release. They accuse the authorities of political bias. Some supporters spent the night protesting, chanting “freedom.”
The police have yet to release an official statement regarding the arrest.
See video:
Hopeson Adorye being whisked to the Dansoman Court for prosecution over his dynamite detonation claims in the Volta Region before the 2016 elections. He confirmed that Akufo-Addo was fully aware of the attack. pic.twitter.com/11cYKgxzwl
— General Marcus! (@marcusadampah) May 23, 2024