Police Cannot Be Trusted To Investigate Themselves - Prof. Attafuah

Following the nearly deadly assault on a pregnant Kumasi woman injured under police custody, human rights advocate, Prof. Ken Attafuah, is urging Parliament to take new measures to monitor and investigate discrepant police activity.

“The institution cannot be trusted to be its own investigator. It’s common sense,” Prof. Attafuah told Joy FM’s Daniel Dadzie on the Super Morning Show Monday. “We need to have a separate security institution to investigate situations like these,” he added.

On Saturday, police arrested and booked Ama Ageymang, who they say was engaged in a heated discussion with her mother over a mobile phone. Ageymang was placed under custody then released, only to return to prison again after she confronted the police officers who originally arrested her.

At the prison, Ageymang says she was handcuffed to a metal door where she was repeatedly beaten with an aluminium bar for hours. Photos obtained by Joy News show severe injuries to her head, shoulder, neck, chest and legs. The photos also reveal what appear to be wilts formed from wires, which could have been used to beat her.

Ama Ageymang says police handcuffed her to a metal door and beat her repeatedly for hours.

But police deny the allegations. According to Joy News’ Erastus Asare Donkor, the police insist Ageymang’s injuries are from attempts to commit suicide. Authorities say they handcuffed her to the metal door to restrain her because she appeared to be on drugs. Four officers were not enough to restrain her, they say.

“When you find it most appropriate to confine someone and deprive them of their civil liberties, then you assume the task of ensuring the safety of that person,” Attafuah said. “It includes making sure that the person will not have any access to tools that they can use to harm themselves.”

National Identification Auhority CEO Professor Ken Attafuah.

Prof. Attafuah, who is a currently a criminologist and National Identification Authority CEO, added that events like Ageymang’s will persist if an independent agency is not created to investigate internal police matters, something he has advocated for the past 20 years.

“It is important that matters of this nature be expeditiously and professionally investigated. Since 1998, I have been calling for the establishment of a vibrant police complaints mission that is independent of the police establishment.”

Kumasi’s regional police commander says he has called for a report on the matter, and when the report arrives he will be prepared to speak.

Meanwhile, Ageymang is recuperating from her injuries. She is expected to make a full recovery. It was unclear whether she will take legal action against the police.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Zaina Adamu | Email: [email protected] | Twitter: @ZainaAdamu