Stanley Antwi with the marks on his back
The Police administration has interdicted DSP Dickson Obeng, the Sefwi Akontombra District Police Commander in the Western Region, for ordering some police personnel under him to whip a 14-year-old boy at his back.
The 14-year-old Class 6 pupil, Stanley Antwi of the St. James Anglican Primary at Akontombra, received 36 lashes at his back on the orders of the District Police Commander for allegedly indulging in fisticuffs with his colleague after school.
The District Police Commander allegedly prescribed the 36 lashes as a corrective measure for the 14-year-old pupil for fighting his friend.
“The police commander ordered his men to remove the shirt of the little boy, stretch and cane him at the back to the surprise of onlookers,” a resident asserted.
In photos making rounds on social media, Stanley is seen with long bloodied marks of the physical assault on his back.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante-Apeatu, ordered the immediate interdiction of the District Police Commander few hours after the picture of the little boy with the back bruises went viral on social media.
In a statement released by the Ghana Police Service and signed by the Director-General for Public Affairs, David Eklu, the IGP directed the Western Regional Police Commander, DSP Redeemer Vincent Dedjoe, to constitute a team to investigate the incident and report within two weeks.
The Police Service, in the statement, indicated that the public would be updated on the progress made by the team constituted to investigate the matter.
Victim’s Father
The father of the victim, Enoch Tandoh, 36, a farmer, told journalists that he was on his farm when his wife called to inform him that Stanley had returned from school, but he had some bruises at the back.
“My wife told me that our child was bleeding, and so I should stop the farm work and assist her to take the boy to the hospital.”
He indicated that when he got home he saw his son with severe marks at his back, his chest and parts of his stomach.
According to the father, when he asked the son what happened, he narrated that the District Police Commander, whose office is just behind their school, ordered his men to whip him for fighting one of his classmates after school had closed.
Mr Tandoh added that he took the child to the hospital, but he was told to produce a medical request form from the police before they could take care of the boy.
He indicated that since the commander was the same person to issue the medical form, he contacted the District BNI officer.
“The BNI officer came and insisted that the hospital should take care of Stanley without further delay. He then led me to the District Police Commander.”
The father said the commander told him that his son was fighting one of his classmates and that despite being told to stop; he refused so he ordered his men to teach the boy a lesson.
According to Mr. Tandoh, people who witnessed the incident remarked that the police commander first prescribed 20 lashes for the boy for his behaviour and got his men to stretch the boy, hands and legs on a table.
“In fact, I got alarmed when I heard all but the BNI officer is assisting me to seek justice for my son.”
DCE
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Akontombra, Amoah Yankson, who condemned the alleged act by the police personnel, called for thorough investigations into circumstances that led to the incident.
The DCE indicated that he was annoyed when he saw the pictures and that the police commander pleaded with him to beg the boy’s parents.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi