Akatsi Youth Push For Independent Investigations Into Police Brutalities

The youth of Akatsi in the Volta Region say their mistrust of the Volta Regional Police Command compelled them to petition the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare. This comes after a clash between the youth and the police on Sunday, which led to the death of two people. The youth massed up at the police station to

demand the release of an impounded motorbike after police allegedly run over three persons on a motorbike with their riot van. The incident occurred near the Akatsi Training College, resulting in the death of one of the riders. The development resulted in an altercation that led to the police allegedly firing shots at the youth.

A youth leader, Selorm Ameza, said they will petition the IGP and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice on recent police brutalities on residents, especially the youth. According to him, they want an independent body to see to the investigations of the shooting and killing of some youths in the town. We

don’t trust that the Ho people are going to handle the case very well because they are their people. We are not sure of the Akatsi people. We don’t trust the Akatsi people as well… we want an independent investigation. We also don’t want the Ho police or the Akatsi police to investigate. Aside from the IGP, they also plan to petition the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative

Justice, CHRAJ. We would petition them and make sure they become an independent body, putting pressure on the police administration to make sure we have justice in this case. We feel the police people will also keep on brutalizing the youth in Akatsi if we don’t do anything because this is the third time this happening within the spate of five months, Mr. Ameza added.