Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service (GPS), DSP Sheila Buckman, has disclosed that her outfit arrested dancehall artiste Shatta Wale on Sunday for allegedly assaulting a police officer.
Over the weekend, a video went viral of the controversial musician in a heated verbal brawl with a police officer, who had apparently stopped an unregistered Range Rover.
The Range Rover with no number plate belongs to Shatta Wale but was being driven by another person.
Upon arriving at the place after being called, the ‘Taking Over’ hitmaker is seen in the video being verbally aggressive and finally driving off in another unregistered car along with the Range Rover.
DSP Buckman disclosed to Andy Dosty on Daybreak Hitz on Hitz FM that Shatta Wale was picked up by the police on Sunday and granted enquiry bail.
She revealed that “it wasn’t just unregistered, it had no number plate at all, which goes against our laws.”
“In an attempt for the policeman to ask questions…Shatta Wale assaulted the police officer and also exhibited insulting behaviour. Because of that, he was arrested on Sunday and he’s been granted police enquiry bail to reappear at the police station this morning,” she added.
DSP Buckman explained further that, what the musician did amounts to assault according to law. According to her, assault does not only consist of a physical battery but insults as well, especially to an officer of the law carrying out his official duties.
“If you look at Act 29 (of the Criminal Code 1960), a person does an act of assault where the intent is to lead to harm or cause any other event that will lead to harm,” she said.
DSP Buckman also clarified that it is an offence for anyone to drive a vehicle with no number plate at all. “Every vehicle owner must either possess the normal registration plate or an interim one (DV or DP),” she said, stressing “nobody can drive a vehicle in this country without any form of registration, no way!?”
-myjoyonline.com