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The family of the late Shadrack Arloo who died at the West Hills Mall after police officers and private security officers on duty allegedly manhandled him has petitioned President Akufo-Addo.
According to the family, the circumstances in which their son died is a clear case of murder as a result of the reckless disregard for human life exhibited by officers of the Ghana Police service on the scene.
Therefore, the bereaved family in a petition to the president dated February 23, 2023, wants Nana Akufo-Addo, by the power vested in him, to “remove the IGP for the neglect and non-performance of his duties which we believe is the case in this matter.”
“This Petition is brought under the considered view of Petitioners that the President under Article 202 (1) of the 1992 Constitution has the power to appoint the IGP in consultation with the Council of State. Inherent in the power to appoint is the power to remove the IGP for the neglect and non-performance of his duties which we believe is the case in this matter.”
Although the police in a press release disclosed that the cause of the death given by the Police pathologist was “Asphyxiation”, the family says they cannot rely on it as the cause of death without carefully analyzing and investigating the intervening events that led to the unfortunate demise of Shadrack Arloo.
It furthered that they proceeded to petition the IGP within seven day to cause a full investigation into the matter but their checks have clearly shown that the Police administration led by the IGP is unwilling to hold the officers of the service accountable for the loss of the innocent life due to their negligence.
They, therefore added “We have lost complete faith in the IGP to allow for an expansive investigation into the deceased” because the Inspector-General of Police failed and or refused to “acknowledge receipt of the Petition, to respond to same and to carry out any thorough investigation into the unfortunate events.”
It is against this background, Shadrack Arloo’s family is demanding the immediate removal of the Inspector General of Police, citing non-commitment to carrying out the core duty of the Police Service and exercising of any fidelity to the 1992 Constitution in the protection of the life and dignity of innocent citizens guaranteed under the constitution as the basis.
The petition also stated that in the interest of public safety, they will use all sources of legitimate action in addition to the petition to ensure that they fight for justice, speak for justice, and stand for justice for the deceased suspect, Shadrach Arloo.
Read below the full petitioned
PETITION FOR THE REMOVAL OF DR. GEORGE AKUFFO DAMPARE AS THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE FOR HIS FAILURE/NEGLECT TO CONDUCT AN EXPANSIVE INVESTIGATION INTO THE KILLING OF SHADRACK ARLOO BY SOME POLICE OFFICERS, PRIVATE SECURITY OFFICERS AND OTHER PERSONS AT THE WEST HILLS MALL, WEIJA ON MONDAY 30TH JANUARY 2023.
We PETITION your High Office for and on the instructions of Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah (MP Ellembele), Hon. Dorcas Toffey (MP Jomoro) and the family of the above deceased led by Mr. Francis Arloo, the father of the deceased, in respect of the above subject.
1. This Petition is brought under the considered view of Petitioners that the President under Article 202 (1) of the 1992 Constitution has the power to appoint the IGP in consultation with the Council of State. Inherent in the power to appoint is the power to remove the IGP for the neglect and non-performance of his duties which we believe is the case in this matter.
2. On the 30th day of January 2023, a series of events occurred at the West Hills Mall leading to the death of an innocent citizen, Shadrach Arloo. 33 years and a father to a four year old boy. This unfortunate incident happened as a result of the reckless disregard for human life exhibited by officers of the Ghana Police service on the scene led by G/Sgt Daniel Abeiku, the arresting officer. Officers who were under a duty to maintain the safety of the deceased and to protect his life and dignity failed on that duty leading to the death of the deceased.
3. A petition was made to the Inspector-General of Police to among others:
“Justice for All: Injustice to None”
Cause a full scale investigation into the murder of the deceased by his officers and their abettors at the West Hills Mall in respect of the events of Monday, 30th January 2023.
Initiate or cause to be initiated disciplinary and criminal proceedings against any officer and persons found culpable in the murder of the deceased Shadrack Arloo of Monday, 30th January 2023.
ii. To initiate or cause to be initiated, negotiations with our Clients to cover the cost and the financial burden brought on the family due to the recklessness of officers of the Ghana Police Service and negotiate reasonable and appropriate monetary compensation to the family for the loss of life and for support for the son who has many years to live without the deceased.
(We have attached a copy of the said Petition dated 1st February 2023 to this petition for the removal of the Inspector-General of Police)
4. The Inspector-General of Police failed and/or refused to acknowledge receipt of the Petition, to respond to same and to carry out any thorough investigation into the unfortunate events of 30th January 2023.
5. The Inspector-General of Police is a member of the Police Service and the Head of the Ghana Police Service. He has supervisory powers over the operation and administration of the Police Service. He is therefore under a duty to prevent and detect crime, apprehend offenders and maintain public order and safety of persons and property. The Inspector General of Police has however neglected and/or failed to perform his duty in the case of Shadrach Arloo (deceased).
The facts that have necessitated this call for the removal of the Inspector-General of Police are as follows.
6. On the 30th of January 2023, between the hours of 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm, the deceased visited the West Hills Mall at Weija to buy some items for his new apartment and was in the company of one Ibrahim Sakyi. We are informed that while they were walking through the mall, they were stopped by a Police officer, G/Sgt Daniel Abeiku who wanted to conduct a search on the deceased. The deceased resisted the search but when the police officer insisted the deceased left the bag with the Police officer and run in fear of the arrest at which point the police officer raised a false alarm that the deceased was a thief alerting other persons including the private security of the West Hills Mall to the situation.
7. We have additional instructions that the deceased was tackled to the ground by some persons including the private security officers of the West Hills Mall and they started manhandling him. The police officer on getting to the scene pinned the deceased on the ground, placed him under arrest and put handcuffs on him.
8. Having put handcuffs on him on the floor, the police were under a duty to send the deceased to the nearest police station in order for the deceased to be dealt with in accordance with law. The police officer, rather negligently and without regard to the protection of the right to life of the deceased and in breach of his professional obligation on arrests, left the deceased with his attackers and stood by with some other officers who came unto the scene as the deceased’s attackers manhandled him and used a taser on him.
9. Our further instructions are that the deceased was helpless and further disabled and made vulnerable by the cuffing of his hands. While the deceased was groaning on the ground in the cuffs helplessly, we have video evidence showing one of the Police officers in uniform kneeling close to his head and tasing him further.
10. The deceased was not a criminal but an innocent Ghanaian who committed no offence, The deceased was unarmed and posed no immediate danger to the life of the police officers or bystanders to warrant the use of tasers and such unjustified force on him.
1 1 . A concerned bystander on noticing that the deceased was barely breathing at a point, called out to the police officer to intervene whereupon the Police officer removed the handcuffs off the hands of the deceased and left him to his fate.
12. The concerned bystander and the deceased’s companion took the deceased to a health facility on the premises of the mall for medical help but the deceased was pronounced dead on arrival by a medical doctor at the facility forcing management of the facility to make a complaint at the SCC Police station.
13. This unfortunate incident happened as a result of the reckless disregard for human life exhibited by officers of the Ghana Police Service on the scene. Officers who were under a duty to maintain the safety of the deceased and to protect his life and dignity failed on that duty leading to the death of the deceased. This is a clear case of murder that must be investigated as such.
14. There is sufficient evidence from the Ghana police Service and video footages that shows that the deceased died while being manhandled by Police officers and other private security personnel and persons while other officers stood by unconcerned when he was in their lawful custody after they had handcuffed him. Any form of attack including beating, tasing and forcible restraint meted out to the deceased was done while he was in the lawful custody of the Police without any opportunity for him to help himself as he was in handcuffs.
15. clear dereliction of duty without regard to the life of the deceased, and in clear violation of his right to life and dignity, whether arrested or restricted, the deceased in the full glare of the public was manhandled until he passed away.
16. The Police service in an attempt to avoid liability by a press release sought to rely on a convenient cause of death given by the Police pathologist as Asphyxiation and obstruction of the airway by a foreign body which is inconclusive and cannot be relied on as the cause of death of the deceased without carefully analyzing and investigating the intervening events that led to the unfortunate demise of the deceased. That statement issued by the police service was blatantly dismissive of the issue of the painful death of the deceased. (We have attached a copy of the said statement dated 7th February, 2023).
17. In response to the Police Statement and the need to set the records straight, we caused a Press Release dated 8th February, 2023 to set the facts straight and reiterated our calls for an expansive investigation for the Officers caught on video molesting the deceased to be brought to book. The IGP was given 7 days within which to cause the said expansive investigations. Our Checks clearly shows that the Police administration leg by the IGP is unwilling to hold the officers of the service accountable for the loss of an innocent life due to their negligence. We have lost complete faith in the IGP to allow for an expansive investigation into the deceased.
It is based on the above that we make this PETITION to you to IMMEDIATELY REMOVE the Inspector General of Police as he is not committed to carrying out the core duty of the Police Service nor has he shown any fidelity to the 1992 Constitution in the protection of the life and dignity of innocent citizens guaranteed under the constitution. He has also failed to carry out his supervisory role and not shown any commitment to exhibiting proper Policing standards in the service.
We wish to state that in the interest of public safety, we will use all sources of legitimate action in addition to this Petition to ensure that we fight for justice, speak for justice and stand for justice for the deceased suspect Shadrach Arloo.
Public Interest Lawyer,
Itor of the Superior Courts of Ghana.
cc: Rt. Hon. Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin
Speaker of Parliament Republic of Ghana Accra.
ii. The Parliamentary Select Committee On Defence And Interior, Parliament house. Accra.
iii. The Police Council
Accra
iv. Minister for the Interior Ministry of the Interior Accra.
V. Hon Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah. MP, Ellembele Constituency Parliament House.
vi. Hon Dorcas Toffey
MP, Jomoro Constituency
Parliament House
vii. Mr. Francis Arloo
