….IGP petitioned
Two families at Atsiame in Abor District in the Volta Region, are appealing to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, and the Volta Regional Police Commander, DCOP Andrews Boadu-Ekumah to as a matter of urgency, call the Abor district police commander and his men to order.
The Abor police are being accused of siding with a culprit, because the brother is a military man and rather intimidating the very people whose property has been destroyed.
The Gblonyah and Gamenyah families, therefore, are urging the IGP and the Volta Regional Police Commander to ensure that justice prevails on the matter before the Abor District Police Station.
A spokesperson for the two families at Atsiame, Dickson Mac-Gatus in an interview disclosed that, sometime in October this year, they made a complaint on the destruction of their property to the Abor Police Station.
The suspect (Ambrose Klutse) was arrested and granted Police enquiry bail adding that, upon the arrest of the suspect, he confessed to the commission of the act, but no statement had been taken from him up to date.
Narrating details of the matter, Mr Gatus revealed that a day after the destruction of their two acres of coconut farm, two of their brothers (Peter Gblornya and Godwin Gblornya), were unlawfully arrested by fully armed Police personnel from Abor, allegedly on the instruction of WO1 George Gblonyah, whose brother allegedly committed the crime.
The Two brothers he mentioned (Complainants), were maltreated and put into police cells for over five hours without taking any statement from them but rather, with the excuse of “Order from above”.
He pointed out that, when the Volta Region Commander, DCOP Andrews Boadu-Ekumah, got the information, he called the Abor District Commander, Mr Atongnah and sensing danger, he quickly released them.
Mr Mac-Gatus, further disclosed that after the release of the two brothers, they went back to the same Abor District Police Station to lodge an official complaint about the burning of their farm, but the Commander started to frustrate them and it took them about one week based on pressures from outside before they were given A4 sheet to write whatever they wanted to write.
The Abor police he averred, refused at the initial stage to effect the arrest of the suspect who burnt the coconut farm, but later arrested him and suggested a settlement between the two parties, but should come back to the police station if they couldn’t resolve it.
According to Mr Mac-Gatus, one Fulani man, who is an employee of the suspect and was working close to the burning coconut farm, saw what happened and confirmed that it was the suspect who caused the fire.
Mr Dickson Gatus, said all that they want is for the accused to go and plant back the about 100 pieces of burnt coconut seedlings, go to the police station sign a bond of good behaviour and further come out with a payment plan to settle the evaluation cost of the destruction of coconut farm which the Ministry of Agric in Keta has presented to the police.
The suspect according to Mr Mac-Gatus, is not ready for any settlement which he said must be an instruction given to him by the Military brother (WO1 George Gblonyah stationed at the Burma Camp.
He alleged that the behaviour of the Abor District Police, has changed drastically to the extent that, they are backing the perpetrator of the act who has confessed to the act against them, the brother is a Military man at the Burma Camp.
Mr Dickson Gatus added that the Investigator in charge of the case told the complainant that until they brought the Fulani man to witness, the matter would not go to court which to them, is their duty.
The Fulani man it was hinted, is an employee of the suspect and instead of the police inviting him, they are rather telling the complaint to go and bring him knowing well that the suspect has already admitted the offence and it is their responsibility to invite the Fulani.
According to Mr. Gatus, they were given two weeks for settlement which is not yet due, but the accused Military brother has gone to the village together with Abor police personnel and raided their entire house, beating whoever they came in contact with including nursing mothers forcing the two brothers to run for their lives.
The Abor police, it is alleged, have become Lords onto themselves and doing things their own way.
The two families were of the opinion that the Abor Police were not willing to properly investigate the matter complained of and take the necessary action to bring justice.
