Executive Director of COPEC, Duncan Amoah wants President Nana Akufo-Addo to intervene in the case involving a commercial bus driver and his conductor who were remanded for assaulting a police officer.
The two suspects’ whereabouts are currently unknown and some groups are raising concerns over their safety.
Mr. Amoah also feels the narrative around the incident has to change as he says it may have been the police officer who provoked the incident.
“The general impression that you get from eyewitnesses is that there was a fight that was instigated or initiated by the said police officer,” he said on Eyewitness News.
This has led to concerns with Mr. Amoah saying that “there could be some miscarriage of justice as far as what we have also gathered on the ground suggests.”
“I would appeal to the Attorney General and the police IGP to ensure that there is some minimum justice given to also the poor in this country.”
Mr. Amoah says there are suggestions the two are in BNI custody ahead of their arraignment on April 1.
Because the viral incident involved the beating of a policeman, Mr. Amoah added that there was cause to fear that the police were trying to get even.
“Is it an attempt for someone to show the driver and his mate where power lies or is there an attempt to extract justice?” he questioned.
“It is beginning to look as though some persons want to deny the accused persons the right to legal representation at any point,” he added.
The Human Rights Advocacy Centre (HRAC) is also demanding the whereabouts of the commercial bus driver and his conductor
The centre is seeking to provide legal representation for the two, but they claim the police are not forthcoming with information on the whereabouts of the suspects.
First account of incident
DSP Effia Tenge explained that the incident occurred when the driver was stopped by the officer after he disobeyed road traffic laws.
Citi News sources say the incident happened on Thursday, March 14, when the driver stopped in the middle of the road at Weija for some passengers which led to a build-up of traffic and a minor accident involving a motorbike.
The assaulted officer who noticed the incident quickly went to the scene.
The driver, upon noticing the policeman, sped off but was given a hot chase by the officer who rode on a motorbike.
The officer then ordered the driver to stop the vehicle and move with him to the police station but the driver and his mate refused and launched an attack on the officer, leaving onlookers shocked.
The officer called for police assistance, causing the two offenders to flee the scene, leaving behind the vehicle.
The vehicle was subsequently towed to the Odorkor Police Station.
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa | citinewsroom.com | Ghana