Brutality on KATANGA boys: Our officers were not professional – Police

The Ashanti Regional Police Command has condemned the brutality meted out to students from the University Hall of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

It described Sunday’s actions of the police officers as “unfortunate” and “unprofessional”.

Deputy Ashanti Regional police PRO, Chief Inspector Godwin Ahianyo told TV3 on Monday that police are investigating the officers from the Asokwa Police who misconducted themselves as exposed by the video.

The Police Intelligence and Professional Standards (PIPS) department of the command has also been “tasked to investigate the unprofessional conduct of our men”, Chief Insp. Ahianyo said.

The officers were captured on video brutalising students from the University Hall also known as KATANGA who had clashed with their colleagues from Unity Hall from the same university at an outdoor event.

Eight students were arrested and charged with rioting and causing damage to some vehicles but were later released to the security coordinator of the university.

According to Mr. Ahianyo, the regional command later “intercepted” the video showing the police brutality.

“So the command decided to take a serious view of this police brutality and have decided to investigate it.” he said, conveying the assurance of the command to the public that no officer would be shielded.

For now the police are yet to establish what triggered the brutality, he admitted, but said officers identified in the video have been “picked up” to assist in the investigation.

The action by the police, the PRO said, is “unprofessional and we condemned it in no uncertain terms. Those found to have misconducted themselves would be taken on”.