CID probes navy brutalities in Dzemeni

Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has commenced investigations into the constant brutalities meted out to residents and boat operators of Torgor-Dzemeni in the Volta Region by personnel of the Eastern Regional Command of Ghana Navy, Today has gathered.

The move follows the Monday edition of Today, May 23, 2016 which banner headline story; “Navy Officers Strike!-Torture fisherman and 9 residents in Dzemeni.”

In the said story, the chiefs and opinion leaders of Tongor-Dzemeni, a fishing community in the South Dayi District of the Volta Region, accused navy officers deployed to the area of subjecting innocent residents and boat operators to severe brutalities in the last six years, leading to the deaths of some residents and boat operators.

That situation, the story continued, necessitated the chiefs and opinion leaders’ call for immediate withdrawal of the officers and asked for a full-scale investigation into the activities of the patrol team in the community.

A petition dated Thursday, May 19, 2016 which was sent to President John Dramani Mahama and copied to the Interior Ministry, Ghana Navy, Volta Regional Security Council and South Dayi District Police Commander warned that the residents were ready to sacrifice their last drop of blood to save their people.

Meanwhile, a security meeting made up of the Police, Navy, Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and some opinion leaders after the publication has been held.

The security capos at the meeting called for peace in the area, and assured residents that their concerns would be forwarded to the appropriate quarters for redress.

However, Kpeve District Commander in charge of Torgor-Dzemeni Community, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Mr. Thomas Agbanyo, confirmed to Today on Monday May 23, 2016 that the chiefs and opinion leaders of Torgor-Dzemeni have petitioned his outfit to investigate the Navy brutalities on the residents and boat operators.

According to him, Kpeve District Police Command handed over the case involving the torture of one Kwasi Gadri and nine other residents to the national CID of the Ghana Police Service.

Consequently, he said the CID has started investigations into the grievances raised in the two page petition by the chiefs in the area.

Though the senior police officer did not mention names of the officers who committed the crime, ASP Agbanyo said they have some leads to help the police in its investigations.

According to him, issues raised are being investigated to ensure that peace and security prevail in the area.

Speaking in an interview with Today yesterday, Stool father of Torgor-Dzemeni community, Mr. Robert Castro Mediale, expressed shock at the torture of Kwasi Gadri and the nine other residents by the Navy.

According to Mr. Mediale, who doubles as the Chairman of Black Volta Lake Regional Fishermen, “it is a criminal offence for security personnel to beat any civilian without any provocation.”

He, therefore, assured the community that they will do everything humanly possible to make the navy officers who committed the act face the full rigours of the law.

“I fear this will jeopardise security and peace in the area since this is not the first time these officers have visited such cruel and barbaric acts on members of this community,” he opined.

In his opinion, the presence of the Navy officers in the area was insignificant since there were no more speed boats for rescue operations.

“There had been a number of accidents on our waters but we used our small boats to rescue the victims without any assistance from the officers,” he claimed.