Assault on innocent family in Takoradi Police Service interdicts two officers… To face prosecution if found culpable

THE Western Regional Command of the Ghana Police Service (GPS) has interdicted two officers from the Narcotics Control Department for assaulting a secondhand clothes seller, Francis Essiaw, and his family, without any justifiable cause.

The interdiction of the two officers follows an interim report submitted to the Command by the Regional Crime officer, who headed a panel to investigate the alleged assault.

The Command, it would be recalled, set up an investigation panel to probe seven police officers from the Narcotics Control Departments, who assaulted the victims last Wednesday, without justifiable cause. The interdicted officers are Detective Lance Corporal Alidu Salifu and Detective Lance Corporal Godwill Neenyi Ahomanyi.

What this means is that the two officers have been asked by the Command to stay away from police activities till the investigation is completed.

The interdicted officers would also enjoy half salary as a punishment.

The Regional Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the GPS, Chief Inspector Olivia Ewurabena Adiku, confirmed the interdiction of the two officers during an interview in Takoradi.

Olivia Adiku however said the interdiction of the officers did not mean they assaulted their victim, but rather that they (officers) would not be perceived to be interfering with investigations into the case.

According to her, if a prima-facie case is established against the two policemen after the investigation, a docket would be prepared and handed over to the Attorney General's Department for advice, and possible prosecution.

She revealed that the two affected officers had already appeared before the investigation panel. Witnesses on the side of the assaulted victims have also appeared before the committee.

As at the time of filing this report, the wife of the Francis Essiaw, Maame Donkor, who was also assaulted, had finished testifying.

She told this reporter in an interview that she told the panel that five of the officers forcibly broke into their room at the odd hour of 1:00 a.m. on the day in question, and assaulted her husband, she and their two children, on suspicion that her husband was a drug peddler.

According to her, the action of the officers had traumatised her and the children. Meanwhile, the police on Tuesday went to the house of the victim, and took pictures of how the room was broken into by the interdicted officers.