Suspect stripped and flogged in another police brutality

A Police officer of the Sofoline Police Station in Kumasi who subjected woman to severe beatings after stripping her naked is walking a free man. The assault was at the instance of the woman’s expatriate husband.

One year after the incident, a supposed Disciplinary Committee said to have been set up by the Ashanti Police Command at the initial stages of Chronicle enquiries has still not preferred any sanctions against the officer, simply known to the Chronicle as Felix, alias Taller.

Chronicle sources at the Regional Police Command would even want the paper to suspend action for the next one week for action to be taken against the officer, who brutally assaulted the woman last March.

The paper gathered that an expatriate timber merchant, one Joseph Farhart Snr. engaged the services of a Felicia Kesuah, a native of Navrongo in the Upper East Region, as a house girl.

Two months after, Farhart expressed interest in Felicia and asked her to be his wife. "For two years, I stayed with him as husband and wife during which time I aborted two pregnancies by Farhart," she said.

Felicia said she prevailed upon Farhart to perform the marriage rites if he was serious, which suggestion he (Farhart) obliged by first presenting drinks to a relation, one Salifu Anoryeley of Ayigya Zongo in Kumasi.

Having declared his intention thus and bent on his desire, Farhart travelled with Felicia to Gowunia, near Navrongo, with drinks as directed by Anoryeley. Eight months into the marriage, Farhart reportedly proposed that they employ a new house girl to assist the wife (Felicia) with the household chores.

Felicia readily consented and brought in one Immaculate Joyce Zetor, but Farhart was soon found to be flirting with the new maid. When Felicia complained about the development, Farhart took offence and sent her (Felicia) packing. She was asked to leave their Odeneho Kwadaso residence before Farhart returned from a trek to the bush.

Felicia claims since Farhart did not provide any money before leaving she decided to take away a bag she knew contained some money. "I did not have the intention to steal it. I did not want to provoke the man, either," she told the Chronicle.

She explained that her action was to make sure Farhart traced her on his return home. According to Felicia, the bag and a few of her personal effects were lodged at Anoryeley's residence at Ayigya.

Contrary to Felicia's expectation, Farhart on detecting the alleged theft reported the case to the police, following which Taller and one Esther were detailed to arrest Felicia for stealing.

The police officer is said to have forced Anoryeley's door open and retrieved the bag, which contained some money. While Taller reportedly claimed the bag contained ?10 million, Farhert says he left ?17 million in it before leaving for the bush.

Taller is also reported to have collected a purse containing ?150,000 cedis and some documents from Felicia. As if that was enough, Taller allegedly stripped Felicia naked and brutally whipped her with a wire until she received bruises on her body.

Joyce (maid) is also said to have been subjected to a similar treatment until the police woman provided her with cloth to cover her nakedness. Felicia and Joyce have been charged with conspiracy to steal and stealing while Anoryeley and one other are to answer a charge of abetment of crime.

An amount of ?100,000 is said to have been extorted from Anoryeley as bail money before bail was granted him. The fate of Felicia after the inhuman treatment by her husband and brutalizes of Taller is still hanging in the balance. For almost a year now, Mr V.C. Senu's Circuit Tribunal, which started sitting on the case last May, has still not determined the case.

Farhart, who did not want to respond to Chronicle enquiries initially except through a counsel, might be at large. The court has lost track of him, lawyer Kwame Boafo, counsel for Felicia, has confided in the Chronicle. Felicia has, therefore, appealed to the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice to ensure a speedy trial and justice.