Today in 2003: CID boss Sam Awortwi fired!

In January 2003, the Director of Police Criminal and Investigations Department (CID), Sam Awortwi, was “sacked” after barely a month in office and replaced by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), David Apeatu.

According to the “The Evening News”, he was removed from office following instructions from the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Elizabeth Robertson who acted on an “order from above”.

A report by “The Evening News” stated that the changes were politically based as there was a need to appoint somebody whom the government could comfortably work with.

Fast forward to 2019, the Police Service has recorded a number of "shake-ups", there were several calls from the public demanding the resignation of the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, following the controversies in a case involving the kidnaped Takoradi girls.

On January 3, 2020, Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah was re-assigned by the Inspector General of Police, James Oppong-Boanuh as the Director-General in-charge of Welfare at the Ghana Police Service.

Read the full story originally published on January 15, 2003, on Ghanaweb

Sam Awortwi, Director of Police Criminal and Investigations Department (CID), has been removed from office. He is to hand over to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), David Apeatu, who was promoted from Chief Superintendent to his present position by the government.

A reliable source at the Police Headquarters, which disclosed this to “The Evening News” said the instructions came from the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mrs Elizabeth Robertson, who also received the orders from above that Awortwi should hand over as Director of CID to Apeatu.

Investigations by “The Evening News” can confirm that by Friday 10 January, Awortwi’s files and office equipment were being packed from the CID block back to his old office at the Police Headquarters.

It is said that the instructions were verbally delivered by Mrs Robertson, that he (Awortwi) had been asked to hand over to Apeatu, and that no reasons had been assigned.

Some Police Officers and men that this reporter spoke to at the Police Headquarters said they believe the move by the Police Administration to make Apeatu the Head of the Police CID was from the government and not necessarily the Police Council.

They surmised that the elevation of Apeatu was as a result of the report he and Chief Superintendent Zapata submitted to the government on the Dagbon (Yendi) chieftaincy crisis.

They said that this frequent interference of the government in the promotion of Senior Officers in the Police Administration was not helpful in building professionalism with the Police Service.

The Officers and men said the NPP Administration came with the promise to depoliticise the Police Service but it had worsened the situation that existed before, following the recent promotions that had been made.

According to our investigations, Apeatu was jumped three times after the Yendi chieftaincy crisis. Sources close to the Police Headquarters say Apeatu is not a career Police Officer, but a ballistics expert.

Awortwi, on the other hand, is a career police officer and is currently the most senior officer according to the Police Staff lists. It said Awortwi, apart from handling the legal section of the Police Service, was an executive member of the Judicial Council among others, who also had the experience to handle the Police CID.

When contacted, Paul Quaye, Commissioner in charge of Planning and Research in the presence of the Deputy IGP, Mrs Elizabeth Robertson, confirmed the story, saying it was a normal administrative procedure.

He said the Police Administration would come out with a press release to explain the issue later. After the promotion of P.K. Acheampong to the position of Deputy IGP, the position for the Director of CID became vacant.

Awortwi, Commissioner in charge of legal and prosecution, was confirmed as the Director of Police (CID) not less than a month ago. However, some Police Officers and men who spoke to this reporter when questioned why the sudden changes said, they believe that the changes at the CID Headquaters were based on political considerations and a move by the government to appoint somebody it can work with comfortably.