Afenyo-Markin Alleges Assault by Police Officer During Judiciary Protest

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has condemned what he describes as an “unprovoked act of violence” against him by a police officer during the “Save the Judiciary” demonstration held at Parliament House on Monday, May 5.

In a statement released the same day, Afenyo-Markin recounted being struck forcefully in the chest—near the heart—by a uniformed officer identified as Constable Forson, as he approached a barricade to present a petition on behalf of demonstrators.

“The impact of the hit dazed me, and I was visibly shaken and short of breath,” the Minority Leader stated, noting that senior officers and colleagues quickly intervened to assist him with water and medical attention.

Video footage of the incident, widely circulated on social media, shows Afenyo-Markin visibly agitated as he attempts to confront the officer behind the barricade. However, he insists that his reaction was a direct protest against the officer’s misconduct—not an act of aggression.

“What makes this assault particularly egregious is that the officer was being openly reprimanded by his superiors and fellow officers at the time, yet he defiantly responded that he didn’t care who I was,” Afenyo-Markin said.

He added that the officer mysteriously disappeared from the scene following the altercation, raising concerns about potential efforts to shield him from accountability. Afenyo-Markin has since announced his intention to formally petition the Inspector-General of Police to demand a full investigation into the matter.

The Minority Leader also criticised attempts to politicise the incident, suggesting that elements within the opposition were trying to distort the narrative to divert attention from the demonstration’s core constitutional objectives.

“We marched to defend the Constitution and the independence of the judiciary—principles that must be protected at all costs,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service has extended an invitation to Afenyo-Markin for questioning as part of investigations into the incident.