Police torture victim appeals for help

Unless immediate steps are taken to save the life of Emmanuel Nii Odartey, who was allegedly assaulted by two policemen at Awutu Bawjiase in the Central Region three years ago, he will lose his life.

This, according to the Daily Guide, is because all attempts including the suing of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), and the Attorney General and Minister for Justice at an Accra High Court so the case would be properly handled have not yielded the desired results.

Emmanuel was allegedly assaulted by Francis Tagar of the Agona Swedru Police Station and Nketia with number 36626 of the Awutu Bawjiase Police Command on March 24, 2005 for selling a pair of dry cells to a boy at 2,500 old Ghana cedis. It was Tagar who sent the boy so when he received the batteries and detected that they were not functioning as he expected, he supposedly descended heavily on Emmanuel and collected 5,000 old Ghana cedis from him without giving him change or the batteries.

Tagar was said to have invited Nketia and together, they beat Emmanuel mercilessly, bundled him into a vehicle to the Bawjiase Police Station where he was further assaulted by the two officers.

After a petition was made to the IGP about the conduct of the two police officers, he caused the issue to be investigated and ordered the Swedru Police to pay eight million cedis to the victim for treatment, after which Emmanuel was to be adequately compensated. The Swedru Police gave Emmanuel only 3,700 old Ghana cedis and warned him never to set foot at the station again.

After several appeals to the IGP to have the matter settled proved futile, the family of Emmanuel sued the IGP and the Attorney General and the case has been pending before High Court, presided by Justice E.F. Dzakpasu.

At the offices of the Daily Guide on Thursday, a spokesman of the family said when the case was sent to court, the IGP sent some police officers to fetch Emmanuel to the Police Hospital, where he was on admission for two weeks before he was discharged; but he is still in pains.

Faced with financial constraints in looking after Emmanuel, the family has appealed to the media and the Chief Justice to assist in solving the matter to avert Emmanuel's further suffering.

Currently, Emmanuel is at home, having pains in his inner ear, nose, chest and the lower part of his abdomen; he also experiences pains when urinating and have erection.

"If my brother is not properly attended to, he may not live to the expectation of our family. Thus, I am craving the indulgence of the authorities concerned to plead with the Attorney General to come to the aid of my brother in order to save his life before things get worse. He needs substantial amount as compensation for his treatment and upkeep," said the twin brother of Emmanuel, Samuel Nii Odartey.

When Emmanuel was referred to the E.N.T. Department of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital on March 24, 2005, he was diagnosed by Dr. Nii Okai Okantey of head injury, loss of hearing of the left ear, partial loss of hearing of the right ear, left nasal obstruction, bloody ear discharge, stiffness of the neck and slowed walking.

Dr. Okantey assessed Emmanuel's incapacity at over 60 percent permanent.