Tanoso case should interest CHRAJ
The issue of the man at Tanoso, near Techiman, who was forced by the police to ease himself in public, is getting murkier. Apparently, after abusing his dignity as a human being, the police extorted money from him, before poor Kwabena Owusu was released.
Even then, that was not the end of his ordeal. After Mr. Owusu had reported ill and was admitted at the hospital, the police chased him there for a statement, with which to charge him. As we went to press, Mr. Owusu was bracing himself to face the perpetrators of this heinous crime against him in court.
Last week, The Chronicle invited the Inspector General of Police to investigate the matter. We learn that Mr. Paul Tawiah Quaye has ordered the Brong Ahafo Regional Police Command to probe the matter and submit a comprehensive report.
We salute the police capo for being responsive to our call. We hope the Brong Ahafo Regional Police Commander, DCO Robert Ayalingo, will take his assignment seriously and produce a report which would truly reflect what has happened to the poor man.
After all, he was arrested in a family feud with his ex-wife. We are not suggesting that the man has a right to anything untoward to the ex-wife, but, whatever it was, the police have no right to subject Mr. Owusu to such degrading treatment.
Under Chapter Five, Article 15 (1): “The dignity of all persons shall be inviolable. Under 13 (2): No person shall, whether or not he is arrested, restricted or detained, 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.”
We do not need any ghost to lecture us on the Constitutional requirements that have been abused by the men wearing the uniform provided by the state to keep the peace of the nation.
What this means is that we are dealing with an issue with very wide repercussions for the sanctity of the state. That is why the Inspector General of Police and his Regional Commander in Brong Ahafo would have to take their assignments on the Kwabena Owusu case seriously.
The last we heard, officers of the Human Rights Advocacy Centre, led by Nana Oye Lither, are lacing their boots to join in the fight for the rights of the victim. We salute them for their concern.
We would like to believe that the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice would be interested in investigating the circumstances under which Mr. Kwabena Owusu’s right to dignity was so cruelly abused.
The Chronicle intends to make a formal complaint to CHRAJ to investigate the matter. We are seriously worried about the way the men and women in the black uniform are taking advantage of the powers conferred on them by the uniform to subject fellow Ghanaians to all sorts of inhuman practices.
We are of the view that Kwabena Owusu’s treatment at Tanoso is a litmus test for the police to begin to clean the administration of miscreants in uniform.
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