Sanction bank personnel for police assault on nursing mother - OccupyGhana

OccupyGhana, a social and political non-partisan pressure group, have expressed horror at the videos of a woman being brutally harassed by a policeman because she refused to leave a banking hall.

The bank has been identified as Midland savings and loans, Shiashi branch.

In a press statement released by the pressure group, they expressed their contentment at the swift response of the Ghana Police Service and Ghana Bar Association

OccupyGhana expects blame to be extended to Midland Savings and Loans as it is their duty to ensure the safety of their customers, albeit they were not directly involved in harming the woman in the video.

Per the statement, “It appears the lady was assaulted as a result of an instruction by the Company’s officers to the offending police officer to remove her from the premises. Then they either stood by while she was subjected to the beatings or only made half-hearted attempts to stop it. That suggests that the Company and its officers, at the very least, instigated, facilitated, encouraged or promoted the policeman’s offences.”

In this regard, the woman should be adequately compensated by the company while investigating the financial capability of Midland savings and loans on account of their inability to refund the customer’s purported less than GHS300.

“We believe that the Company owes a duty of care to the lady and all those who visit those premises, whether invited or permitted, to ensure their safety while on the premises. Thus even if the Company was not directly involved in the harm caused to the lady, it should be liable to compensate her for the harm caused to her while on its premises,” the statement read.

According to the statement, the action of the policeman should also instigate an investigation into police brutality and the role of the other bank officers seen in the video and how their actions or inactions could have contributed to the grotesque assault on the woman.

OccupyGhana continues to exist as a watch-dog to hold all structures of society accountable for their actions.



Read the full statement below.

OCCUPYGHANA® CONDEMNS ASSAULT OF WOMAN BY POLICE AT MIDLAND SAVINGS AND LOANS COMPANY PREMISES

OccupyGhana®, like several Ghanaians, is horrified at the videos showing the senseless assault and battering of a woman simply on account of her alleged refusal to leave a banking hall, insisting on being paid her money.

We are gratified to read the statements issued by the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Bar Association on the matter, and we do not intend to repeat any of the matters they have stated.

We would, however, add other comments and observations on the matter, particularly on the role of the Midland Savings and Loans Company and its officers.

First, the Company, as the occupier of the property where the harm was caused to the lady, should not escape blame and sanctions. We believe that the Company owes a duty of care to the lady and all those who visit those premises, whether invited or permitted, to ensure their safety while on the premises. Thus even if the Company was not directly involved in the harm caused to the lady, it should be liable to compensate her for the harm caused to her while on its premises.

Second, and worse, it appears the lady was assaulted as a result of an instruction by the Company’s officers to the offending police officer to remove her from the premises. Then they either stood by while she was subjected to the beatings or only made half-hearted attempts to stop it. That suggests that the Company and its officers, at the very least, instigated, facilitated, encouraged or promoted the policeman’s offences. Without meaning to show the police how to do its work, we believe that the ongoing criminal investigations should also explore bringing abetment of crime charges against the Company and its officers.

Third, we are concerned that the underlying cause of this matter was the failure or refusal of the Company to return to a depositor, funds to which she was legitimately entitled. In the wake of the recent administrative and other actions and sanctions taken against banks and deposit-taking entities by the Bank of Ghana, involving the possible endangering and misuse of depositor-funds, we are extremely worried that the Company was unable to refund to a depositor, an amount that was less than GHS300. We believe that the Bank of Ghana ought to investigate the circumstances surrounding this. Maybe this criminal beating of the lady, masks or portends some financial danger where that Company is concerned.

Fourth, and as a general comment, we wonder whether poor Ghanaians are still being subjected to such gross human rights abuses by law enforcement agencies. It is important that servants of the state who are provided with the force of arms that are supplied with our tax monies primarily for our protection are continuously trained in the rudiments of respecting the human rights of the citizen.

Ghana is not and cannot be allowed to be a lawless nation.

Yours in service of God and Country.

OccupyGhana®