Intelligence Bureau officials violated my rights, they stripped me naked – Agordzo

Assistant Commissioner of Police Benjamin Agordzo has recounted what he said was a mistreatment he faced while he was kept at the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) cells after his arrest with others for allegedly plotting a coup d'etat with others.

Agordzo, who acquitted and discharged last two weeks decried what he said was a maltreatment by officials of the NIB, stating that his human rights were heavily violated.

Benjamin Agordzo, the late Dr. Mac Palm, and eight others were charged in 2021 on counts of conspiracy to commit high treason and high treason.

The High Court in Accra, however, acquitted Benjamin Agordzo on January 24, 2024, while six others were convicted for counts of conspiracy to commit high treason and committing high treason.

The six convicted for plotting a coup have been sentenced to death by hanging.

In a television interview with Citi TV on the programme, Face to Face, Benjamin Agordzo now a retired Assistant Commissioner of Police recalled that he was stripped naked on the night of his arrest, stating that he was treated unfairly.

He said he spent between six to seven hours before he was detained.

He narrated, “I had to take off everything that I was wearing. They gave us some boxer shorts which were just dumped somewhere. I’m wondering whether they were even washed. I will say that the officers who handled me did their best. But that’s how they ought to act, and therefore they had to strip me and ensure that they collected everything from me. I was stripped naked and was not wearing anything. That night, my human rights were violated in several respects. You cannot treat me in that manner and just give me anything to wear.”

He questioned why the NIB officers failed to visit and search his house after he was arrested to check if indeed he had something up his sleeves.

“You have arrested somebody who is alleged to have abetted the highest crime of the land, accused me of paying money to support an alleged coup. The worst-case scenario is you should go to my house, do a few checks, even to the bank, check my accounts, even to the extent that you could even freeze my accounts. They never did any of those things,” he recalled.

ACP Agordzo indicated that though he was not comfortable, he slept very well at the NIB police cells because he knew his hands were clean.

“I slept very well at NIB, I slept with a very good conscience. I knew I hadn’t done anything wrong and began to plan what to do next. My only worry was my family. I wasn’t comfortable, but I had a good conscience.”

He said he rejected the food he was given because he “didn’t trust them, BNI”, throughout his five-day detention at NIB.

Background

Dr. Frederick Yao Mac-Palm, the Chief Executive Officer of Citadel Hospital (now deceased), and ACP Dr. Agordzo, together with eight others, were charged variously on April 24, 2021, for conspiracy to high treason, abetment to high treason, and high treason.

Dr. Mac Palm (A1 – now deceased), Donya Kafui alias Ezor (A2), Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu alias Bright Alan Yeboah (A3), Yohannes Zikpi (A4), Warrant Officer Class Two Esther Saan Dekuwine (A6), Cpl Seidu Abubakar (A7), Lance Corporal Ali Solomon (A8), and Cpl Sylvester Akanpewon (A9) were charged with conspiracy to commit high and high treason.

Col. Samuel Kodzo Gameli (A5) and ACP Dr. Benjamin Agordzo (A10) were at the time also charged with abetment.

credit: Citinewsroom