Midland Police brutality: Cop pleads not guilty, remanded
The Accra Circuit Court has remanded Lance Corporal Godzi Frederick Amanor (aka Skalla), the police officer that allegedly assaulted a woman at Midlands Savings and Loans.
He pleaded not guilty and was remanded to reappear on August 8, 2018.
Skalla in hoodie hiding from journalists when he appeared in court on Thursday.
Background
Skalla was captured in a viral video assaulting 36-year-old, Patience Osafo, whilst she was carrying a baby at the Shiashie branch of Midland Savings and Loans.
Members of the public expressed outrage over the incident and subsequently the policeman was arrested and placed in custody whilst investigations into the case started.
Victim's account
The victim told Accra-based Peace FM in an interview that the incident occurred when she refused to leave the banking hall after the financial institution told her she could not withdraw money because of network challenges.
According to her, she has been saving at Midland Savings and managed to accumulate Gh₵270.
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So on Friday, July 13, 2018, she decided to go and withdraw same as other customers were doing because she was broke and had borrowed some monies.
She claimed that after waiting for the whole day, the money was not given to her and was asked to come back on Monday, July 16.
On Monday, Patience Osafo said she went there in the morning and waited the whole day and still did not get her money with the explanation that, there was a network challenge.
According to her, on Tuesday and Wednesday, she was still not given the money after waiting the whole day.
On all occasions, she was asked to leave the banking hall for the office to be closed after the close of the day's work.
So on Thursday, when she arrived at the bank at about 7:30 am and waited till about 4 pm, she vowed not to leave until the money was paid because she was broke.
She said it was during her protestations at about 4:30 pm that the police officer was invited to pull her out and it resulted in the scuffle and the assault.
However, she added that, after the incident, all her savings totalling Gh₵270 was paid in full.