Current Inspector General of Police's Method of Fighting Police Corruption Works if ……

On Sunday, 29 December 2019, I forwarded a recorded video on police officers taking money from motorists plying a stretch of road to the Police Complaint Desk. I received the said video on my WhatsApp wall at 22:44 (10:44 pm) from one of my WhatsApp contacts. I forwarded the video to the Police Complaint Desk's WhatsApp number +233206639121 that I have installed on my smartphone, at 23:18 (11:18 pm).

As soon as it was forwarded, I received an acknowledgement from them at 23:18 (11:18 pm). We exchanged the following conversations all of which go to conclude that Inspector General of Police (IGP) Bonuah is desirous of fighting to rid the police of its dented image, the culmination of their chronic infatuation with taking bribes.

Rockson: Sends video to the Police Complaint Desk {at 23:18 (11:18pm)}

Police: Thank you for contacting Ghana Police Service Complaint Desk. Please let us know how we can be of help. Thank you. {23:18 (11:18 pm)}

Rockson: The police officers are seen to be taking bribes. Could they please be identified and dealt with? This video was forwarded to my WhatsApp wall this night. {23:21 (11:21pm)}

Police: Alright will put the necessary and accurate measures in place accordingly {23:29 (11:29)}

Police: But where was the video recorded and when? {23:29 (11:29)}

Rockson: I shall find out from the person who forwarded it to me and get back to you. However, I am pleased with your quick response. The IGP's directive is working and I shall help it to work. I shall testify about it to the public in my online publications. {23:35 (11:35pm)

Police: Alright, thank you for the acknowledgement, will be expecting you soon. {23:40 (11:40pm)

From the chronology of the responses with the times indicated to have happened, one could see how the police are serious about dealing with complaints lodged with them about police officers accepting bribes to overlook their primary duties of preventing crimes, protecting lives and protecting properties. Assuming any of the drivers they take bribes from have no valid driving licence, have their vehicles (cars) not insured, have no valid road tax certificates and no roadworthy certificates for their vehicles, have worn out tyres and other faults on their vehicles, are the police not endangering the lives of the commuters aboard such vehicles by simply taking bribes from the drivers and waving them to carry on driving without conducting appropriate checks on the drivers and the vehicles?

How could they tell if the occupants of a particular vehicle are not armed robbers on a mission to commit crime if they simply took their well known one Cedi, two Cedis or five Cedis note from the drivers? By their action, they are directly or indirectly encouraging the propagation of crimes, road accidents and tarnishing the reputation of the Ghana Police. They are themselves committing prosecutable or punishable offence – Sections 239 to 247 of Ghana Criminal Code 1960 (Act 29). Therefore, it was a sigh of relief when the IGP came out with his bold decision to fight police corruption.

The police can only redeem their image if the public will report their malpractices to the designated offices as prescribed by the IGP. Without the public availing themselves of the opportunity created of which I can testify that it is credible, and works, the IGP's dream of sanitizing the police force will hit a snag.

From the exchange of conversations as reproduced verbatim above, a lesson has been learnt that needs to be told. I could have achieved my objective of forwarding the video to the Police Complaint Desk if whoever recorded the incident of the police officers taking bribes had mentioned the day, date and time and where it was being recorded, the unprofessional bribe-taking police officers could easily have been identified and disciplined. Subsequently, I advise anyone recording any action they want to distribute on social media, e.g. WhatsApp, to add a small voice note or a written message telling where and when the action took place. This request should be for both audio and video recordings on subjects meant for public consumption and distribution.

Anyway, I have contacted the person who sent the video under discussion to me about the police request as stated above. He is also contacting the person who forwarded it to him but who rather resides in Ghana. If it had not originated from him but from many different multiplying sources, then the police officers in the video can never be found and investigated.

How can a nation prosper with the citizenry feeling happy, living well and in safety if the law enforcement agents (police, military etc.) and judges are themselves the masterminds and orchestrators of crimes? Therefore, we must all applaud the IGP and help his dream to come to pass. Let us record police officers abusing the law and report them. I am certain drastic disciplinary action will be taken against offending officers when reported with the necessary details.

Fellow Ghanaian "burgers", please get your relatives back home some of these modern electronic gadgets to secretly record police and judicial staff malpractices for action to be taken against them. Without our "All hands on deck" effort, Ghana will continue to sink because of official corruption. Let the public declare year 2020 as action year to wage relentless war on official corruption.

Apart from the WhatsApp number shown above, you can contact the Police Complaint Desk on telephone numbers 0550323323 and 0275000156.

What is the new Chief Justice's plan to fighting judicial corruption? Will he emulate the IGP? We live to see!

More grease to the elbows of IGP Mr Bonuah.
Rockson Adofo
Tuesday, 31 December 2019