Torture victim yet to respond to Police invitation

Kwame Akawale, a private security officer at Sunyani who was alleged to have been tortured by some police officers at the Sunyani Regional Police Headquarters, is yet to appear before the police to help in their investigations into the case.

Superintendent of Police Alhaji Maama Arhin, the Brong Ahafo Regional Crime Officer, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani that the police had invited the victim for his side of the case in order for the case not to be one sided.

Akawale, a private security officer of Prime Time Security Company on November 6 petitioned the Commission on Human Right and Administrative justice (CHRAJ) about an alleged case of torture against him by some police officers at the Regional Police Headquarters in Sunyani.

The victim was said to have complained to CHRAJ that he was on duty about a month ago at the VIP Bus Transport in Sunyani when an army officer who was not in uniform packed his taxi at the entrance of the station.

Akawale told him to remove the vehicle because it was packed at an unauthorized place.

Akawale said the army officer surprisingly held his private part and had to struggle with him.

He said he was invited to the police headquarters to give a statement but to his surprise the police subjected him to severe torture, and he fell unconscious.

Akawale said he regained consciousness at the Sunyani Government Hospital where his uncle told him that he had information about how he was brutalized at the police headquarters and had to take him to the hospital.

SP Arhin said the police alleged that Akawale tried to escape from custody and was pursued and arrested.

He said in the process the victim (Akawale) was said to have struggled with the officers and damaged the uniform of one of the police officers.

Superintendent Arhin said after discharge from hospital police had invited the victim to give his side of the case but as at Monday, November 17, 2014 he had not responded to the invitation.