The Cape Coast High Court has slapped the Ghana Police Service with GH¢ 320,000 fine for the negligence of its officers, in the shooting of three persons in a taxi cab at Twifo Praso.
The officers, who were pursuing thieves who stole goats at Twifo Praso, fired into the car used by the thieves.
A stray bullet hit a moving taxi occupied by a couple and their daughter in the process.
According to the victims , on January 10, 2019, at about 6:30 am, they were on board a cab from Ankaful Junction at Cape Coast where they were shot by the cops who claimed they were chasing robbers from Twifo Praso.
The bullet fired by the police hit Mary Aboagye her husband and daughter.
Mary later died at the hospital while the husband and daughter sustained varying degrees of injuries as a result of the bullet.
Justice Kwasi Boakye explained that the judgment was not meant to intimidate and lower the morale of the crime-fighting institutions such as the Police, however he urged the Inspector General of the Ghana Police Service (IGP) to take proactive steps to ensure police personnel operate with high sense of professionalism.
He noted that there was a dire need to undertake a complete overhaul or re-engineer the service as far as its professional training needs and competence are concerned.
He referred to a similar incident where some armed policemen in broad day, shot into an unregistered saloon car at Tamale, resulting in the death of one of the occupants whereas the others sustained various degrees of injuries.
