The victim, Frank Kofi Adu
The Police Administration has interdicted Inspector Kennedy Mantey Ampofo alias Opete of Sampa District Police Command for allegedly handcuffing one Frank Kofi Adu, a cobbler for professional misconduct.
He is facing a charge of arresting suspect and failing to take him through due process.
The said Police Inspector has been referred to the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB) to allow for a thorough investigation into the matter.
Per a video that has gone viral, the cobbler, Frank Kofi Adu in Suma Ahenkro near Sampa in the Jaman North District of the Bono region was handcuffed by the policeman who operates a drinking spot for his inability to settle GH¢2 debt on alcohol he bought.
According to the victim, he visited the police officer’s drinking spot with a friend to make a purchase but was unable to pay for it.
He then told the owner of the drinking spot who is a policeman that he will settle his bill later but the officer disagreed and handcuffed him overnight.
Interestingly, according to Kofi Adu, after roaming with the handcuffs in search of the money to pay the officer and getting the money upon return to the drinking spot when he realized the spot was closed with the policeman nowhere to be found.
He therefore reported the matter to the Sampa Police to intervene by unlocking the handcuffs but all efforts proved futile.
Kofi Adu further headed to Suma Ahenkro Police Station for assistance but they couldn’t open the handcuffs and his hands were getting swollen.
Narrating his ordeal, he said “Yesterday around 10 to 11pm, I bought alcohol from ‘Opete’ (a policeman) and my friend said that he didn’t have money, so he paid two cedis. I told Opete that I will pay the remaining two cedis but he didn’t agree and handcuffed me,” he said in the video which has since gone viral.
“So, I went out to borrow the two cedis to pay him but upon reaching the spot he was asleep. I knocked several times but he didn’t open. So, I tried several police stations to open the handcuffs but they couldn’t, and my hand is also swollen gradually.”
By Vincent Kubi