I was given a name for refusing a bribe in Agona Swedru in 2001 – COP Patrick Akolgo

A retired Commissioner of Police(COP) Patrick Akolgo has recounted how his rejection of a bribe earned him an interesting description as the police officer who doesn’t take bribes.

The Crusading Guide in October 2001 reported that contrary to perception that police officers easily succumb to bribery overtures, police personnel at Agona Swedru refused to accept a bribe of 30 million (old) cedis in a matter involving a suspect arrested for possession of narcotics. He was reportedly concealing the ‘wee’ in his house.

According to the report, the suspect offered the policemen the huge sum to get them to drop the case against him.

It further stated that then Deputy Superintendent of Police Patrick Akolgo led the operation to arrest the suspect upon intelligence. The bribe was then advanced to Mr Akolgo who outrightly rejected it and stood his grounds against pressures to let go of the case.

In an interview on Dreamz Fm in Bolgatanga monitored by MyNewsGh.com, now retired COP Patrick Akolgo confirmed the reported incident and that act, coupled with others earned him trust amongst the people who also often referred to him as the officer who doesn’t take bribes.

While encouraging officers of the service to exude discipline in their duties as police officers, he dismissed assertions that the police service is the most corrupt institution in Ghana as has been reported by corruption rating index.

“The police is a human institution and so it can not be said to be perfect. It cannot also be the case that the police service is the most corrupt institution as we are often told. As the IGP said which I agree with, there may be few elements we have to deal with but that does not make the institution the most corrupt. We must endeavour to help the police improve their standards and professional skills which I know the current IGP is working on,” he said.