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The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) has called for the heads of officers of the Nkoranza Police who killed Albert Donkor, a suspect who died in police custody.
According to the Human Rights Organisation, the Executive, Parliament and the Ministry of Interior must urgently establish an Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) which would investigate such issues independently and not rely on the Ghana Police’s internal investigations, which are hardly made public.
It pointed out that the lack of action by government since 2014 to establish the IPCC emboldens rogue elements in the Ghana Police Service to engage in such dastardly acts.
“CHRI demands that the State should set up an independent body to investigate the death of Albert Donkor and the outcome of the investigation should be made public, the police officers found culpable should be prosecuted and duly punished,”
It further said government must “ensure that officers involved in the killing of Albert Donkor are brought to justice and made to face the full rigour of Police disciplinary measures and criminal prosecution.”
A statement from CHRI also demanded adequate compensation for the family of Albert Donkor while seeking “psycho-social support to enable the family cope with the traumatic event.”
Criticizing the actions of the Police Service, the Human Rights Organization stated that summary execution or killing is not part of Ghana’s democratic practice and certainly not an acceptable process in democratic and rights-centered Policing.
It argued further that “Private citizens who are arrested have the right to a fair trial, right to life and due process must be followed to bring them to justice.”
Albert Donkor, a resident of Nkoranza in the Nkoranza South District of the Bono East Region, is reported to have died whiles in the custody of the Ghana Police.
The Nkoranza Police says that Albert Donkor was an armed robber who died in an exchange of fire with them.
But his family has debunked the claims, saying he was picked up from home to police custody where he died.
The youth went on rampage following his death where they attacked the Nkoranza Police Command, freed some six suspects and vandalized properties.
