Namolo residents condemn police attack on Immigration officer, call for swift punishment

Residents of Namolo a community in the Kasena/Nankana East municipality who witnessed the manhandling of an immigration officer by a team of policemen in the area have condemned the actions of the law enforcement officers and are calling for investigations into the attack.

Describing the actions of the Police officers as unprofessional, the residents want the Upper East Regional Police Commander and the Inspector General of Police to look into the matter.

According to them, the attack on an officer of a sister security service and a "uniformed man" is a clear sign that cases involving civilians will be worse. They want justice for the immigration officer.

In an interview with Atinka News, one of the residents (name withheld) expressed his dissatisfaction with the conduct of the police that night. He said he was very surprised when the police officers, numbering about seven pounced on the young immigration officer who did nothing wrong but to direct traffic, hitting him with their fists, rifles and other policing equipment.

"I was returning from Saboro when I witnessed the attack along the main road. A long truck was making a U-turn on that part of the road. There was a bit of difficulty in movement so the immigration man jumped down from his motorbike to ask why that was the case and also tried to direct the traffic. Then before I knew it there was a struggle between one police officer who also came out of the long truck taking the curve. I didn't hear what they said but I saw that the policeman started hitting the immigration man with his rifle"

"Later, another group of armed police officers arrived. They beat the immigration officer up, handcuffed him and took him away in their vehicle together with another guy. Another civilian who wanted to beg for the immigration officer was also beaten up and handcuffed too. They shouted that if you are a man come and stop them" he narrated.

Some of the residents said they suspect foul play in the handling of the case, especially from the Police Service. They added that they will be disappointed in the Immigration Service if the case dies out without justice for the brutalised officer. They want authorities of the Ghana Immigration Service to get involved and act in accordance with the law.

Information spread through Navrongo town on February 8, 2018, when an officer with the Paga major border wing of the Ghana Immigration Service was allegedly manhandled by seven officers of the Navrongo Police Command at Namolo a suburb of Navrongo township.

Speaking with Atinka News' Senyalah Castro Cazo on developments of the issue, the Kasena/Nankana East Municipal Police Commander, Supt. Ebenezer Benson, said the case has been resolved at the regional level by both services. He will not speak further than that.

Meanwhile, a closed-door meeting by the Municipal Security Council (MuSeC) has been held and the actions of the seven police officers have been condemned by the council, Atinka News has learnt.