Six police personnel to face service enquiry

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr David Asante-Apeatu, has ordered a service enquiry against six police officers who were caught on video collecting money from drivers at the Inchaban barrier in the Western Region.

The six are Chief Inspector Jones Osei Asante, Sergeant Gershon Kwame Semexa, Corporal Benjamin Bernard Hayford, Lance Corporal Osei Bonsu, Lance Corporal Abukari Ibrahim and Constable Emmanuel Barabu Gaffah.

Preliminary investigations by the Police Intelligence and Standards Bureau (PIPS) found the six personnel guilty of failing to perform in a proper manner, a duty imposed on them which is prejudicial to the efficient conduct of the Ghana Police Service and likely to bring the name of the service into disrepute, contrary to Regulations 82 (1), (h), (i) and (ii) of Ghana Police Service Regulations 2012, (CI. 76).

The leader of the group, Chief Inspector Asante, is to face an additional service enquiry for his lack of supervision and failure to perform a duty imposed on him as stated in Police Service Regulations 82 (h) and (I), 2012 (CI 76).

Investigations

The Director-General incharge of Public Affairs, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Mr David S. Eklu, told the Daily Graphic in an interview on Sunday that the IGP had endorsed the recommendations of the PIPS.

He said all the men during the preliminary investigations allegedly conceded to being in the video, adding that although the video could not capture exactly what was given to them, the affected personnel allegedly admitted during the preliminary investigations that they took money from the drivers.

Mr Eklu said the authenticity of the video recording was not in doubt as the personnel allegedly admitted being in the video.

“The action of the men on duty that week was a collective responsibility as whatever they got from the exchange of hands was shared equally among them,” he quoted the findings of the report.

He said the investigations also revealed that the recording was taken from February 21, to February 27, 2016, when they were on duty at the barrier.

Barrier relocation

Mr Eklu said per the schedule of the personnel, they were supposed to be searching vehicles for small arms, narcotic drugs, wanted persons, stolen goods and vehicles but they abandoned that job for collecting money from drivers.

He said the IGP had also endorsed the recommendations of the PIPS that the Inchaban barrier be relocated immediately to the outskirts of the town.

WhatsApp 0206639121

Mr Eklu commended those who recorded the video and asked the public to assist the Police Administration to deal with personnel who indulged in such activities.

To demonstrate the Police Administration’s commitment to weed out such personnel, he announced a dedicated WhatsApp number, 0206639121, to which all videos of police personnel misconducting themselves on the roads or anywhere could be sent to the number for further investigations.

He said it was the resolve of the Police Administration not to shield any police officer who indulged in acts of unprofessionalism that were likely to bring the name of the service into disrepute.

Background

The Daily Graphic in its October 16, 2017 edition reported that the six personnel had been summoned to appear before the PIPS to answer charges of misconduct.

The six, who are all stationed at the Sekondi Regional Police headquarters, were caught on video collecting money from drivers at the Inchaban barrier.