Owusu Bempah condemns brutal torture on a suspected thieve at Agogo

The Director of Communications at Ghana Gas, Mr. Ernest Kofi Owusu-Bempah has condemned the brutal torture of a supposed thief at Agogo market square on Sunday afternoon.

The 19-year-old Agogo native was beaten to pulp and tortured with metal objects and wires inserted in his anus on a suspicion of being a thief

Kwaku Enoch Frank was allegedly tortured by a group of men into confessing he was a thief, and that he is involved in thievery in the Agogo environs. He suffered horrific wound and cuts on all his body.

In a statement, Mr. Ernest Kofi Owusu-Bempah, who is a native of Agogo described the actions of the perpetrators as very barbaric and one that greatly dims the nation's human rights record.

According to him, it is appalling and mediaeval in this day and age for citizens to take the law into their own hands and administer instance justice than handing over suppose criminals to law enforcers.

“That they apprehended him stealing does not in any way warrant branding him as a notorious thief who deserved to be subjected to such an ordeal” he said.

Mr. Owusu-Bempah, has therefore called on the Ghana Police Service to immediately institute an investigation into the matter and brought perpetuators of the heinous crime to book.

Below is the full statement issue by Mr. Ernest Kofi Owusu-Bempah:

I'm shocked to learn of a brutal torture of a supposed thief at Agogo market square on sunday afternoon.

The 19-year-old Agogo native was beaten to pulp and tortured with metal objects and wires inserted in his anus on a suspicion of being a thief

I find the action of the perpetrators of this atrocious crime as very barbaric and one that greatly dims the nation's human rights record.

Suspect should have been handed over to the police and law enforcement agencies for necessary action. For citizens to take the law into their own hands and carry out such instance justice is quite appalling and mediaeval.

That they apprehended him stealing does not in any way warrant branding him as a notorious thief who deserved to be subjected to such an ordeal.

It is very disheartening that in this day and age, we would rather visit instance justice on alleged thieves than handing them over to law enforcement.

I call on traditional authorities and every right thinking Agogo citizen to condemn this barbarous act in no uncertain terms.

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice(CHIRAJ) and the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection must as a matter of urgency steps in and deal with the matter head on.

And while we are at, the Agogo District Police Command must institute immediate investigations into the matter and have the perpetrators dealt with according to the law.

Signed:

Ernest Kofi OWUSU-BEMPAH

Concerned Citizen of Agogo