Engineer Petitions Police Over Wrongful Detention

Tema, Aug 14, -A mechanical engineer in Kumasi, who was detained by the Darkuman Police for eight days, on suspicion of aiding and abetting a driver to sell a stolen Benz bus has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP). Mr Joseph Forson, Managing Director of "El Shadai" Engineering Works, wants the IGP to investigate the abuse of his constitutional rights. The constitution provides that no citizen of Ghana should be detained for more than 48 hours. Mr Forson told a press conference in Tema that he was first arrested by the Kumasi police and released on bail a few hours after he had written his statement. ''However. on August five, the Kumasi police led policemen from Accra to arrest me and I was sent straight to Darkuman Police cells.'' He said for three days no statement was taken from him until he requested to be allowed to question the man who brought the Benz Bus for him to repair. Explaining the circumstances of his arrest, Mr Forson said he was at his workshop when a Benjamin Amartey brought a 33 seater Benz bus which had been grazed in an accident for him to straighten. '' I charged him only 70,000 cedis and gave him a receipt''. Mr Forson said he is aware that Mr Amartey has been charged with stealing the vehicle and sent to court while no charge was preferred against him.