Citizen Selorm Ameza the Poetic Story Tailor, has called on MP for Akatsi South Bernard Ahiafor and MCE Kofitsey Nyahe, to as a matter of urgency, act to end the purported police brutality in the Akatsi area. He is worried the local economy in Akatsi will come crashing because of youth migrating out of Akatsi due to the alleged recurring police brutality. Selorm Ameza made this call on his Facebook wall Wednesday, February 10, fearing his beloved Akatsi may be sitting on a time bomb.
Out of these recurring incidents, one person died last year and another currently on life support in the hospital as we file this report.
The post alleges that police dressed in civilian clothes and sometimes in police uniforms, have attacked over 50 youths in their homes within the Akatsi municipality. It says the police break into peoples’ homes, arrest them, forcefully demand access to their phones, and then release them after collecting huge sums of money. If the young men refuse to let them into their phones, then they are beaten to pulp.
It went further to say that they often come in unofficial vehicles, with no warrants but claiming to be National Operatives from either Accra or Ho and their targets are people suspected to be “Gameboys”.
Selorm’s post suggests this a real threat to security in the area. He fears this may be armed robbers posing as national security and denting the image of the police hence his call to get the necessary attention.
Comments under Selorm’s post confirm that the situation is an open secret however getting people to witness when the need arises is a challenge because people fear becoming targets for the police who are assumed to be involved in this mess. The report further says that there are people in the community who volunteer information to the said police and they get their share of the booty every time.
Selorm Ameza is looking forward to investigative media houses to uncover the people posing as National Security and BNI operatives in this case.
The comments below are from the Facebook post. This an indication of brewing revolt by the youth and that is not good.
“If the youth start marking them they will stop”
“Bro this is too much and I will do everything to die just for the youth because this akatsi police did same to us and the court even know but Ghana we living and now enough is enough”
“Its true the last time l was going to Aflao in the evening, when we get to Akatsi, there was a police check point mounted on the main town road, and some small, small bwoys police just harassing passenger and extorting money from innocent traveller”
“Protect ur doors.. Get burglar proofs.. Get ursef license guns.. Nobody is allowed to enter ur space btn 8pm-6am.. They v to come with warrants… Anybody that comes around that time is a thief..put cctv cameras(they r not expensive) and expose them”
“Bro the town is no longer safe.
Even in your room after ur own stressful day of Hustle you can’t sleep deep .”
“But they should know a town can never grow without the Youth .”