Police brutality: Victim cries for justice after almost a decade

An office assistant with the National Population Council in Ho, Mr Christian Bubu Ametame, is appealing for justice after he was allegedly assaulted by a policeman at the Ho main branch of the Ghana Commercial Bank in 2009.

According to Mr Ametame, after initial investigations by the then Inspector General of Police, Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, nothing has been heard of the case after almost a decade.

In a petition to the Presidency and to the Ghana News Agency, Mr Ametame said hospital bills of over GH¢5, 000 was weighing him down, whilst the officer who assaulted him was still walking free and allegedly intimidated him whenever they met.

Recounting the incidence to the GNA in an interview, Mr Ametame said in 2009, while running an errand for then Volta Regional Director of the National Population Council at the GCB Bank in Ho, he and a Prisons Officer had a misunderstanding following his (Ametame’s) refusal to let the Officer jump the queue in the banking hall.

He alleged that after the issue had been settled by some staff of the Bank, the Prison Officer called a friend of hers, a Police Officer to the Bank.

Mr Ametame said a few minutes after entering the banking hall the Policeman hit him with his truncheon severally, slapped him and attempted to drag him across the street to the Ho Municipal Police Station.

He said in an attempt not to be dragged to the Police Station, another Police Officer stationed at the Bank join his colleague, who also subjected him to several slaps with the butt of his gun.

Mr Ametame said after he was dragged across the street to the Police Station with injuries and blood all over his body, the Police at the Station denied him a medical form for treatment.

He said he was later bailed by his Director and taken to the hospital where the physician tried to get the police to give him a medical report.

Mr Ametame said following media reports and petitions, the IGP summoned him and his family to the Police Headquarters and dispatched five officers from the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards (PIPS) to meet with all those who were involved in the case, with an assurance that he would be informed of the outcome of the report.

He lamented that, over nine years after the incident, he still struggles with neck, waist and joints injuries and had been referred to go for physiotherapy, which was pending.