19-year-old petitions CHRAJ

Atebubu (B/A), Jan 31, GNA - A 19-year-old final year pupil of the Roman Catholic Primary School at Atebubu in Brong Ahafo, has petitioned the Commission on Human Rights And Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) against inhuman treatment and false accusation meted out to him. Master Gabriel Kusi is seeking redress from the Commission for offences he alleged Mr Alfred Bakudie, Planning Officer of the Atebubu District Assembly had committed against him, which included victimization, unlawful detention, character assassination and any other offence the Commission might deem fit to be charged against him. The pupil indicated in the petition to the Atebubu office of CHRAJ that the Planning Officer had used and continued to use his position and relationship with the Police Chief Inspector in charge of Atebubu Police Station to trample on his rights and that of his family.

He said until June 30, last year, when Mr Bakudie falsely accused him of stealing his mobile phone, he (Master Kusi) had been serving the Planning Officer in his house and going on errands to Kumasi with money and other items to his (Bakudie) girl friend at school.

Master Kusi said apart from Mr Bakudie accusing him of stealing his mobile phone, he also cursed him by a river god in his hometown in the Volta Region and took him to a shrine at Atebubu called "Dadiene" in the company of Mr Bakudie's friends, Messrs Takyi Appiah and Jerome for him (Kusi) to swear on it.

Master Kusi said when the caretaker of the shrine told them that, she had closed for the day, Mr Bakudie and his friends took him to the Police Station and impressed on the Police to detain him without any charge or entry in the logbook.

Notwithstanding these ordeals, the pupil said Mr Bakudie went to the local Channel Five FM station at Atebubu and described him (Kusi) as a thief, who had stolen his mobile phone.

Master Kusi added that a few days later, another boy in their neighbourhood called Emmanuel and his parents came and confessed to him that he had stolen the mobile phone, but he asked them to go and see Mr Bakudie.

He disclosed that when his mother summoned Mr Bakudie to appear before a Chief, Nana Sekyere, to retract the announcement he had made on the FM station, Mr Bakudie refused, saying he was not under any Chief in Atebubu.

Meanwhile, Mr Vasco Kwadwo Nyamekye, Atebubu District Director of CHRAJ told Ghana News Agency he had referred the case to the Sunyani Office of the Commission because of the planning officer's blatant insubordination, saying, Mr Bakudie had refused to respond to several invitations to appear before the Commission. 31 Jan 06