Police in alleged “reprisal” attacks in Ho

Police in Ho have allegedly resorted to “reprisal” attacks on residents over comments relating to insecurity in the Regional capital.

Three people, all males were alleged to have been attacked separately by policemen on suspicion of questioning their effectiveness in tackling crime in the municipality.

Mr Israel Ahedor, a freelance journalist, told the Ghana News Agency that four policemen pounced on him Tuesday night around the central market at about 2200 hours for allegedly discussing security issues in the town with a friend on mobile phone as they passed by.

He said he reported the conduct of the policemen to the Regional Police Headquarters and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in Ho.

Mr Ahedor said while discussing how a friend was robbed at knife point the previous day, the policemen who were in white pick-up pulled up and started slapping him for discussing police ineffectiveness in town.

A middle-aged man was also said to have been allegedly assaulted severely by policemen in town a few days ago for advising a friend against travelling at dawn due to the rise in criminal activities in town.

The man claimed the police said his comments suggested that the police were not in charge of security in town.

Mr Peterkin Yentumi Gyinae, Volta Regional Police Commander told the GNA that, the Command received a complaint of alleged assault by some of his men which was being investigated.

He urged the public to report any unruly behaviour of the police to the Command.

Two weeks ago Asogli Chiefs in Ho expressed lack of confidence in the police following daily incidents of criminal activity in the town and threatened to take charge of security in the town.

Early this week, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mr Mohammed Alhassan after sending a team of policemen from Accra to beef up security in the town, followed up to visit crime prone areas and assured that measures were being put in place to ensure safety in the town.