Police assaulting suspect with broom sign of unending torture - Amnesty Intl

Human rights group Amnesty International have condemned the actions of some officers of the Ghana Police Service captured in a viral video beating a suspected armed robber with a broom.

The suspect is seen in a video being hit on the head several times with a broom by police officers at Akyem Abomosu in the Eastern Region.

The Police can be seen in the video hitting the head of the suspect identified as Olentei multiple times with a broom, while in handcuffs and sitting on a chair.

The suspect fell from the chair onto the floor while the police continued the beating.

According to Starr News sources, the suspect was arrested two weeks ago after allegedly attacking the family of a Pentecost Pastor in the community.

But reacting to the incident, Country Director for Amnesty International Frank Doyi described the actions of the police officers as a sign of unending cases of security forces torturing suspects.

He also called for an immediate investigation into the matter.

Speaking to Naa Dedei Tettei on Starr Today Mr Doyi said “I felt horrified by what I saw in the video.

"Watching this video shows that the pattern that we have observed at Amnesty International confirmed that police brutality in this country has not come to an end and that personally, individuals within our security system behave in an act of torture, cruel and crazy treatment with excuses.”

He continued: “this is something that Amnesty International will want to call on the police to take immediate action to conduct investigations and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice according to the laws of the land.”

Meanwhile, security analyst Adam Bonaa said he expects the officers involved to be interdicted.

He said, “it is only a court of competent jurisdiction that can say somebody is an armed robber or else that person is a suspect, and until that is actually ruled in court with all the evidence, then that person is a suspect and a suspect cannot be treated this way.”