Sgt. Owusu Ansah in the video pocketing the ‘bribe’ he took from the associates of the suspect
A rare scene of a police officer, G/Sgt. Owusu Ansah, receiving bribe money at a drinking spot has landed on the desk of his superiors.
The officer is seen on video allegedly negotiating for a payment and receiving same from some persons with links to a suspect in a criminal act so he could nullify a narcotic and cybercrime case he was handling.
The Assin Fosu Police Division based police officer has since been arrested and detained by the Central Regional Police CID following the leaked video which has gone viral.
A statement issued by the police in the region on Tuesday said the action of the officer “amounts to corruption”.
The negotiation and wads of cash
In the said video, the uniformed officer was seen sitting at a drinking spot with some associates of the suspect who negotiated with him, as he bragged about how he had helped other suspects to escape justice in the past.
The policeman was heard saying that as a principle, he does not pocket all monies he takes as bribe from suspects in the area, as he always makes sure he “settles every officer” including the commander.
“When I take money, I don’t spend it alone; I give commander some so that when another policeman arrests you and takes you to him, I can put in a word for him to let you go free,” he told the negotiators in Twi in the video.
G/Sgt. Owusu Ansah also revealed in the said video that he did not book one of the offences (smoking wee) for which the suspect at the centre of the case was arrested, indicating that he realised narcotic offence was a serious one which always end on the desk of their commander.
Before the policeman left the bar, he was handed a wad of what appeared to be like GH¢50 and GH¢5 notes from the negotiators whose faces did not show in the video.
Case transferred
According to the police statement signed by DSP Irene Oppong, the case has been referred to the Regional CID to investigate and report to the Regional Police Command for necessary action.
The Regional Police has meanwhile appealed to persons with “credible information” in the case to contact the Regional Crime Officer.
“The police are assuring the general public that painstaking investigations will be conducted to bring all persons involved to book,” he added.