MP mounts call for justice over alleged police killing of Jomoro native

The Member of Parliament for the Jomoro in the Western Region Dorcas Afo Toffey is the latest to join calls for justice for the late Shadrach Aloo, the man who became a victim of alleged police brutality at the West Hills Mall in Accra.

The lawmaker who is seeking a presidential intervention on the matter has already petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to thoroughly investigate the conduct of the said officers.

Aloo, 32, an Nzema native from Mpataba in the Jomoro Municipality died shortly after sustaining injuries after he was attacked by a policeman and some security guards at the Mall without provocation. His family including his sister and gospel musician Perpetual Didier are still in grief.

Addressing a press conference the lawmaker who commiserated with the bereaved family said her outfit will not rest until the perpetrators of the crime are brought to justice.

Read the full statement below:

PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY HON. DORCAS AFO TOFFEY MP FOR JOMORO on 4th February 2023

POLICE BRUTALITY AND KILLING OF SHADRACH ALOO.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen from the media. I am highly pleased to have you all here in your numbers. We have all gathered here this morning obviously not for a joyous reason but a sad one; to demand justice for our brother and son, Mr Shadrach Aloo, who hails from Nzemaland, specifically Mpataba in the Jomoro municipality.

Before his untimely and gruesome death on the 30th of December,2022, Shadrach was booked to travel to Germany within that week. Shadrach had therefore visited the West hills Mall at Weija in the company of a friend, Ibrahim Sakyi to buy some items.

While they walked through the mall, a police officer stopped Shadrach to conduct a search on him which Shadrach resisted claiming he’s done no wrong. He, therefore, challenged the police officer to take him to any nearest police post if any search would be conducted. The police officer didn’t agree but tried to use force to search his bag.

This subsequently led to a raising of alarm from the police officer, inviting other security guards of the mall to bring Shadrach to the grounds handcuffed.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it becomes absurd how a harmless and unprovoked response from the deceased upon desperate request from the policeman could trigger him to unleash such cruelty on Shadrach.

Ladies and Gentlemen from the media, this act from the police officer, together with other security guards at the mall made Shadrach helpless, vulnerable and disabled. The police officer, who wouldn’t even consider how weak Shadrach had become, still went ahead and knelt very close to his head, just like in the case of George Floyd, while tasing him further. ‘Service with integrity’ has been and still is the motto of the Ghana police service and one can only expect protection of lives and property from them, and not to brutalize innocent citizens even to the extent of killing.

The import of Article 15(1) and (2) of the 1992 constitution provide in no uncertain terms for the respect for human dignity as follows:

15(1) “the dignity of all persons shall be protected

(2) No person shall, whether or not he is arrested, be restricted or detained, or be subjected to-

(a) torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment:

(b) any other condition that detracts or is likely to detract from his dignity and worth as a human being.

Ladies and Gentlemen, in view of this, I have called upon the lawyer, Hon. Francis Sosu, to expedite a petition to the IGP, the Attorney General Department and the Parliamentary select committee on defence and interior. Justice for Shadrach is what we are all seeking.

Whiles this is been done, I, together with the family demand the following;

1. Just the President issued a statement in the case of George Floyd, a black American who was killed in a similar way, as “it cannot be right that, in the 21ST century, the United States, this great bastion of democracy, continues to grapple with the system of racism.

“on behalf of the people of Ghana, I express my deep condolence to the family and loved ones of the late George Floyd.

“We stand with our kith and kin in these difficult and trying times, and we hope that the tragic death of George Floyd will inspire a lasting change in how Americans confront head-on the problem of hate and racism.’’

We expect and demand that H.E. Nana Addo Danquah issues a statement to commemorate the family of Shadrach.

2. The IGP should as a matter of urgency cause a full-scale investigation into the murder of the deceased by his officers and culprits at the West Hills mall with respect to the event on the 31st of January, 2023.

3. The office of the IGP should also initiate or cause to be initiated disciplinary and criminal proceedings on any officer and persons found culpable in the murder of the deceased, Shadrach Aloo.

4. Last but not least, the office of the IGP must initiate or cause to be initiated negotiations with Shadrach’s family to cover the cost and the financial burden brought on the family due to the recklessness of your officers and negotiate reasonable and appropriate monetary compensation to the family for the loss of life and for support for the four-year-old Son who has many years to live without the father (the deceased).

Ladies and Gentlemen, after all these have been met, we urge the police to give a firm assurance that such brutalities shall become a thing of the past.

WE SHALL NOT REST UNTIL WE ARE REST ASSURED. JUSTICE FOR SHADRACH ALOO.

THANK YOU ALL AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU.

Cc: All media Houses.

SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH