Ghana’s Day Of Shame: Parliament Mad At Rambo Cop

Parliament has described as shameful and inhumane, the battering of one Patience Amankwa by a police officer at the Midland Savings and Loans Limited, calling for serious disciplinary action against him.

She indicated that Ghana touts itself as a hospitable and accommodating nation, however, this occurrence amounts to a disgrace and dent on the image of the country. Pouring their anger on the police officer, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Pusiga, Hajia-Ayishetu Laadi Ayamba, told the House that the action of the officer is shameful, and that he must not be made to go free.

She described the action as inhumane, and blamed the Ghana Police Service for the possible lack of due diligence in its recruitment process.

She further asked the service to take personnel through in-service training and serious monitoring. Similarly, she demanded that the bank also be sanctioned.

Adwoa Safo, Deputy Majority Leader of the House, in making a statement on the issue, condemned the act and called for justice for the victim.

She indicated that most of the lady lawyers in Parliament are ready to help the victim receive justice.

She further assured Ghanaians that the female caucus of the House would see to a conclusive end to the matter.

Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Leader of the House and Member for Tamale South, on his part, said the action by the police officer amounts to an unjustified assault and misconduct.

He, however, pleaded that the incident should not be generalised to mean that that is the general behavior of all police personnel.

He indicated that there are very professional police personnel who conduct their activities and duties with professionalism, and with the ethics desired of them.

He said the action of the officer is in breach of Article 15 of the 1992 Constitution.

Article 15 of Ghana's Constitution stipulates that: “(1) The dignity of all persons shall be inviolable. (2) No person shall, whether or not he is arrested, restricted or retained, be subjected to – (a) torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; (b) any other condition that detracts or is likely to detract from his dignity and worth as a human being. (3) A person who has not been convicted of a criminal offence shall not be treated as a convicted person and shall be kept separately from convicted persons.

Cynthia Morrison, Member of Parliament for the Agona West Constituency, on her part, expressed serious worries about the conduct of the police in recent times, referring to recent clashes between the police and the military, and recent distasteful occurrences attributed to the police.

She lamented that “if the people paid by the tax payer to ensure their safety rather assault them, it signals a bleak future for security in Ghana.”

She called on the recruiting agencies of the Police Service to review the recruitment and training processes to help forestall some of these occurrences.

Dela Adwoa Sowah, Member for Kpando Constituency, on her part, also said she had never been that traumatised in her lifetime, watching the video on the incidence.

Condemning the act, she added that she has not been able to have sound sleep afterwards, since the incident keeps playing in her memory.

She called on the Gender Minister to take steps to register the epileptic daughter of the victim on the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme, since she is vulnerable.

Ras Mubarak, Member for Kumbungu Constituency, indicated that in finding solutions, the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service (GES) should intensify moral education and education on issues of such in the educational system.

It would be recalled that a video circulating on social media over the past week shows a police officer on guard duty at Midlands Savings and Loans beating up a woman who was holding a baby, sparking public outrage.

This comes at a time the police are under immense scrutiny, following allegations of police brutality from the Zongo community in Kumasi, after seven men suspected to be robbers were killed by the police.