News:
Minority Leader
February 16, 2022
The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu has called on the Ghana Police Service in Lamashegu to take full responsibility for the unprofessional conduct of their officers that has resulted in the death of Abdul-Hakeem Yakubu and six others who sustained injury on Sunday, February 13, 2022.
According to him he is aware the principal actors have since been interdicted pending investigation but urged them to do more to assuage the anger of the people and build trust between the police and the local people.
“They must go to the root cause of the unprofessional conduct of their men in uniform and ensure that justice is done”, he said on the floor of the House in a statement on Tuesday, February 15, 2022.
He said Police brutality on civilians has become prevalent in Tamale; a growing phenomenon very hard to understand and accept, and there is concern about the lack of scrutiny and accountability over this incidence, and it appears many of them will go unpunished.
As eye witnesses and media reports, a police patrol team, in an attempt to effect the arrest of one Rahman Jibril, who was alleged to be driving an unlicensed vehicle with a DV number plate, pursued the driver of the unlicensed car to the compound of the Paramount Chief of the Lamashegu, Lamashe Naa Abdulai Ziblim.
And said Rahman Jibril had run to the Palace of his Paramount Chief to seek refuge but he was pursued and shot at the Palace with live ammunition and sustained gunshot wounds on the waist.
In our culture and tradition, one can run to the chief’s palace for protection. How could the police disrespect the Lamashe Naa this way? The shooting also resulted in injuries to four others – Rahman Jibril, the driver of the unlicensed vehicle, Alhassan Yussif, Abdul-Karim Abdulai and Wahab Abdulai all residents of LLamashegu.”
The body of the deceased has been deposited at the Tamale Teaching Hospital morgue whiles the other victims are currently receiving treatment at the Tamale Teaching Hospital.
“Mr. Speaker, I have since met the family of the deceased to commensurate with them and also visited the severely injured in the Hospital to wish them a speedy recovery and also support them defray part of their medical bills. I call on the Government and the Police Service to as a matter of urgency come to the aid of the victims and pick up all the bills as an interim measure”.
He said the incident of Sunday, 13th February 2022 adds to the list of similar unprofessional conduct of the Ghana Police.
“Unfortunately, in all those instances there has either been no action from the Leadership of the Police Service or that the response was lame duck. Some of the cases include the following:
- On September 21st, 2021, Ppolice meted out brutality on residents of Nakpanzoo, Nimafong, Zujung among others, when they accompanied NEDCo staff to arrest residents suspected of engaging in power theft.
- Saturday, 19th April, 2021, Ppolice raided the Changli community in Tamale at midnight unleashing violence on residents to avenge alleged assault on their colleague. This left several residents severely injured and properties worth millions of cedis destroyed.
- We also recall how Police Officers – Corporal Kenneth Amoah Korsah and four (4) others allegedly chased a driver to the precincts of the Gbewaa Ppalace and assaulted him. An incident the police command had to apologies profusely for having disrespected the Overlord of Dagbon.”
He bemoaned the conduct of the police stating that it brings to focus the training regime for officers and men at the various Police Training Schools and Police Academies, especially in the area or riot control. “We have witnessed too many incidents of unpleasant outcomes arising from attempts by Police to control riots and demonstrations by the public. The Police Command must as a matter of urgency take a second look at the training provided officers at the various schools.
The countless cases of police brutality cases across the country raises the question of improper and inadequate training of law enforcement personnel generally, Mr. Speaker, enough is enough” he added.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com