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There is angst and tension in the rank and file of the Ghana Police Service as an explosive revelation by Sergeant David Ojeyim claims that Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr Christian Tetteh Yohuno “directed” him and 10 others to refuse orders of the Police Administration, action that is deemed as mutiny in the security service.
Sgt Ojeyim, in a lawsuit filed at the High Court for an Order of Judicial Review claimed that his refusal to obey a Police Signal (Directive) was at the direct instruction of the Deputy Inspector General Of Police. He stated in Paragraph 18 of his sworn testimony that “we informed him [Mr Yohuno] on October 2, 2024, of the transfer signal wherefore he directed us not to comply”.
In a hierarchical Security organisation such as the Police Service that is run with the adage of “Obey before complain”, the thought of a Sergeant, refusing to obey the command of the leadership is unthinkable. For that refusal to be at the instigation and direction of the second most senior member of the service speaks of a complete breakdown in regimental discipline.
“That cannot be right! The Deputy Inspector General of Police directed junior Police officers to disobey the written command of the Police Administration? This is Mutiny”, a Police Source contacted fired. “Mr Yohuno must be subjected to a full service inquiry! This level of indiscipline must be rooted out!”
Sgt Ojeyim, a member of the Police Intelligence Directorate (PID) claims that he and 11 others were recruited by one ASP Alhaji Jalil Bawa, a staff of the Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate (MTTD) on the instructions of the Mr Yohuno for “Intelligence Gathering” that they called “Operation D-Day”. Even though ASP Jalil Bawa is an MTTD officer and ought not have any authority to instruct let alone recruit members of the PID, a different directorate, Sgt Ojeyim and the others followed his instructions nonetheless. It was in the course of operationalizing the Yohuno taskforce, including setting up a whatsapp group dubbed “Operation D-Day” that he received instructions from the Police Administration that he had been transferred out of Accra; together with several members of the gang. At this point, Ojeyim states “Since the team enlisted for the assignment was at the direction and instruction of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, we informed him on October 2, 2024 of the transfer signal wherefore he directed us not to comply with same as it was dubious and without any justification.
“He further directed us to make an entry into the station diary which we complied”
This is as explosive as it is scandalous. Mr Yohuno did not only direct them to disobey the command that was duly signed, signaled to them and communicated by their Staff Officer, he further directed them to write that they are refusing to obey because the others are “Dubious and without justification”; even though these same officers were happy to follow the orders of ASP Jalil who is not even a member of their directorate.
“I don’t understand this Sgt Ojeyim and especially Inspector Hamid Zakariah who has been in the service for over 10 years. It did not occur to them to check with their Station Master, or Director, or Staff Officer or DG [Director General] when an MTTD officer started ordering them about”? another source quizzed.
The source continued “What is even more surprising is the Deputy IGP. If indeed he needed personnel from PID to conduct Operation D-Day, he could not speak with the DG or Director or anyone directly working at PID; he had to call Jalil”?
“These boys were on a rogue operation and are headed for the sack. Jalil is a bad apple and for them to choose to band with him for D-Day operations was bad.” Another source close to ASP Jalil Bawa added. “People like Jalil are why Police discipline and reputation are low. He was sacked from the service. Went to join NPP’s Invisible forces, brutally beat up DSP Nanka bruce in 2016 and got reinstated and promoted to a senior officer when NPP came to power. Political interference is killing the service” he bemoaned.
The officers who refused the transfer order have since been interdicted pending a service inquiry. But with them filing the suit at the High Court for Judicial Review, the court process will have to end before Police disciplinary action, if any, can be instituted.
It is however unclear what the fate of Deputy IGP Christian Yohuno would be once the testimony is actually adopted in court.
All efforts to reach Mr Christian Tetteh Yohuno for comments proved futile.
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