Year In Review: 5 times the police were accused of using deadly force on civilians in 2022

The Ghana Police Service in 2022 was heavily criticized for the increase in the use of excessive force by its officers on civilians.

In fact, security experts, including the Director of the Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Prof. Kwesi Aning, said that police officers in the country have become “trigger happy” and are shooting down civilians haphazardly.

This article looks at some instances in 2022 where police officers were accused of using unnecessary, brutal force on ordinary Ghanaians.

Death of Albert Donkor in Nkoranza

The Ghana Police Service in May 2022 stated that a robbery suspect, Albert Donkor, died as a result of a gunshot wound, he sustained during a police operation.

But the family of the deceased said that the claim by the police was not true because Albert Donkor was not a criminal.

The family accused the police of masterminding the killing of an innocent man, adding that Albert may have been targeted after he chanced on a robbery operation involving some police officers.

Member of Parliament for Nkoranza South Constituency, Mr. Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum (Hon), also said that Albert was seen alive in the custody of the police.



Narrating events leading to the death of the young man, Hon Agyekum said, "On 25th April 2022 at exactly 1:00am-midnight, Albert Donkor was picked up from his mother's residence at Kasadjan in the Nkoranza South Municipality by the Ghana Police Service on a suspicion of a robbery that had occurred on the Nkoranza- Kintampo road."

"He was denied access to a lawyer of his choice, his family members were denied access to him, he was never tried by any competent court, and, today, all we are hearing is - Albert is no more," he revealed, asking "how reckless can the police service be?"



Killing of a protester in Nkoranza

The police also shot a mob in May protesting the killing of a robbery suspect, Albert Donkor, whom they claim was killed in the custody of the police.

The shooting of the mob killed at least one person and injured at least five others.



According to the police, six persons were injured as the police defended themselves when the protest evolved into a barbaric attack on its officers at the station and one of the injured persons died at the hospital.

“On Tuesday, May 17, 2022, the Nkoranza Police Divisional and District Headquarters were invaded by some irate mob who attacked the stations with all forms of dangerous implements. The mob was allegedly protesting the death of Albert Donkor, an armed robbery suspect who died during a police anti-robbery operation."

“Police responded appropriately to the situation including bringing in reinforcement teams from the Regional Headquarters and adjoining regions to restore law and order. Also, as a result of the attack, six persons were injured and sent to the St. Theresa's Hospital, Nkoranza… one of them died while receiving treatment and five others are currently on admission and responding to treatment,” portions of the police statement read.

Arise Ghana Demonstration

The police were also accused of using unnecessary force during the first day of the Arise Ghana demonstration on Tuesday, June 28, 2022.

Arise Ghana demonstrators clashed with police on Day 1 of their mass action. There was chaos as police fired tear gas at protesters while they [protesters] also pelted stones at the police. According to multiple reports, the chaos was caused by confusion over the route to take.



According to the organisers of the demonstration, a total of 93 protestors were injured during the clash with police. They indicated that injuries sustained during the protest included bone fractures and rubber bullet wounds, which led to one of the protestors going blind.

The police, however, blamed the demonstrators for the clash and arrested 29 of them. In addition, it declared the organisers of the demonstration wanted, stating that they would be arrested for their role in the incidents that happened on the first day of the protest.



Kasoa: Police brutality leaves woman in critical condition

A woman identified as Jennifer Arthur was left in critical condition, in May 2022, after she was brutalized by a police officer from the Kasoa District Police Station when she tried to stop the officer from whipping her husband.

According to a doctor’s report, Jennifer suffered dislocations of the elbow and wrist as well as some bruises on the skull.

According to angelonline.com.gh, the Kasoa District Police Officers, led by the District Commander, C/Supt. Timothy Dassah, paid a visit to the victim and pleaded for forgiveness on behalf of the police officer who brutalized Jennifer.

The team tried to offer her two thousand Ghana cedis, but the family members rejected their offer and instead demanded justice for their daughter.

They demanded that the police produce the name of the recalcitrant officer and also ensure that he is duly sanctioned.

Gunshots at Kumasi Islamic SHS as police allegedly fire live bullets

At least 30 students of the Islamic Senior High School in the Ashanti Region of Ghana were rushed to the hospital on Monday, June 13, after police opened tear gas on them while they were demonstrating over frequent road accidents in front of the school.

According to local media reports, the students had blocked the road in front of their school in the course of their protest over frequent knockdowns.

In their protests, the students lamented that frequent calls for speed ramps have fallen on deaf ears. Police were called in to clear the roadblock and disperse the demonstrating crowd.

One of the students said that "the shooting incident occurred after the police had successfully sent them the demonstrating students back to the school campus, and for a reason best known to the personnel, they fired tear-gas and bullets suspected to be live ones to scare them.

“We don't know what the police wanted to achieve by firing live bullets after they had successfully sent us into the school," a student had said.

Reports also indicated that the police entered the dormitories of the students, where most of the shooting incidents occurred, leading to the collapse of most of the female students.