We are above CHRAJ

Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) – Twelves officials of the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, summoned by the Brong Ahafo Regional Office of the Commission on Human Right and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), on charges of human rights abuse, have flatly flouted the order to appear.

According to them, the operation they carried out for which they were being invited was “a national assignment.” The officials, all staff of the Bui National Park, allegedly assaulted and detained eight farmers for three days on suspicion of poaching before handing them over them over to the police.

They were also alleged to have burnt down six mud houses and personal effects and confiscated 10 bicycles, three bags of guinea corn and a bag of maize, all belonging to the Akwasi Adjei, the head farmer among the victims.

Following a petition by the victims of the alleged brutalities, the CHRAJ, acting under its constitutional mandate, invited the 12 officials to appear before it to answer charges of unlawful arrest and detention.

But in a letter sent to the CHRAJ on 16 April the officials made it clear that until they received instructions from their Executive Director to comply, they would not do so. This is because an earlier letter from the Wildlife Division to the CHRAJ, dated 17 March 2003, and signed by Richard Ofori Amanfo, Senior Wildlife Officer, stressed that “it is administratively incorrect to single out staff for your investigations since they were out there for national assignment.”

“Such letters are tantamount to intimidation which will reduce the morale of our staff who are determined to stop illegal activities in the national park.” “The staff are well-trained and they executed their duty professionally by applying minimum force to the poachers in the park to face the law,” it said.

CHRAJ, however has indicated its readiness to go ahead with the case without further notice to the Division, should it refuse or fail to appear at the next adjourned date. According to the Regional Director, Kwasi Boakye, the “commission has no qualms against the Wildlife Division in its efforts at controlling illegal activities in areas under its jurisdiction by arresting offenders and having them lawfully prosecuted in the law courts.”

But the CHRAJ boss made it clear that where there was evidence of human rights abuse the commission had the right to ensure that justice was done. The officials led by the Second in Command, Prince Anane Adjei and alleged to be wilding guns, traced Akwasi Agyei and his wife and six labourers, to their farm Dokakyena in Banda, in the Wenchi district and reportedly meted the punishment.

According to the personnel, they found a hide of hippopotamus with Agyei, which made them suspect that he and his family had encroached on the Bui National Park and poached. They were then reported to have set the six mud houses ablaze and those items mentioned earlier.

The victims were then taken to the office of the Game and Wildlife Division where they were detained for three days before they were sent to the Wenchi police station where they were granted enquiry bail. The farmers petitioned the CHRAJ, which invited the officers to assist in investigation into the allegations.