*At Amasaman
*4 cops beat man to a pulp
*But District Commander denies story
of Eric Ofosu lying on his sick bed at Amasaman Gov’t Hospital
The Industrial Relations Officer of the Maritime and Dockworkers’ Union of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Mr Eric Ofosu, was thrown into a state of shock and utter bewilderment when he was alleged to have been severely brutalised by four fully-armed policemen from the Amasaman Divisional Police Command in the Greater Accra Region till he collapsed.
Mr Ofosu, a father of three, who lives in Amasaman, is currently receiving treatment at the Amasaman Government Hospital.
Speaking to Today on his hospital bed last week Friday, Mr Ofosu narrated that he was driving home after close of work on Wednesday, 16th May, 2012 and after getting off the main Accra-Kumasi highway, decided to stopover at a friend’s place at Amasaman.
He noted that whilst waiting for his friend in his car, about four unannounced policemen forcibly entered his vehicle, demanding his car keys.
Suspecting foul play, Mr Ofosu said he stood his ground and refused to hand over his car key to the livid policemen.
While at it, he demanded to know the reason for their rather bizarre and inexplicable action; he was told by the men in uniform that he made an unauthorised U-turn while driving on the main road to which he vehemently denied.
With their first accusation obviously hitting a snug, the supposed law enforcers looked for more reasons to gag the Industrial Relations Officer.
This time round the officers accused him of dangerously over-speeding past a Kia truck, an accusation which the victim again denied.
It was obvious to Mr Ofosu that the policemen were up to some mischief, stressing that his belief was re-inforced by the stench of alcohol emanating for them; an accusation the four police officers flatly rubbished.
He continued that the battle-readied officers could therefore not help but unleash their frustration on him.
“The policemen kicked me about and held my neck and strangled me until I lost consciousness.”
When he regained consciousness at the Amasaman police station, Mr Ofosu intimated that he ceaselessly gasped for breath; “and it was then that the police officers present sensing danger rushed me to the hospital.”
Subsequently, the police called his wife and in an attempt to cover up their gruesome act, told her that her husband made a U-turn on the Amasaman road and when the police stopped him, he complained of stomach pains leading to his admission to the hospital.
“The police told the same lie to the doctor on duty at the hospital,” he remarked.
The victim mentioned that where he had parked his car and where he was brutalized was far away from where the police accused him of making a U-turn and/or over-speeding.
When contacted however, the District Commander of the Amasaman Divisional Police, Superintendent Asante, flatly denied the alleged police brutality on Mr Ofosu, describing him as “pathological liar.”
Fuming over the reported allegation by the victim, Mr Asante in the presence of the four said policemen who arrested Mr Ofosu narrated that Mr Ofosu was driving home after close of work and after getting off the main Accra-Kumasi highway used an unauthorized road for which the police on duty traced him to a spot and stopped him.
According to Mr Asante, the policemen had asked Mr Ofosu to drive his car to the station to answer why he decided to use the unauthorised road.
The district commander noted that Mr Ofosu flexed his muscles and stood his ground and refused to drive his car to the police station; and immediately threw his car keys into the neighbouring bush.
He explained that after Mr Ofosu arrogantly threw his car keys away, his men dragged him into the police patrol vehicle and drove him to the police station for interrogation.
He stated categorically that when Mr Ofosu was bought to the station, there was no indication on him that the policemen physically assaulted and strangled him.
“My brother I want to make it clear to you that Mr Ofosu was brought to the station in a conscious state so where from these lies that “the policemen kicked him about and held his neck and strangled him until he lost consciousness.
He disclosed that the alleged victim was the person who started shouting at the police cells that “Oh Police! Police! Help me ooh!!! I would die if you do not rush me to the hospital for immediate medication because my face is turning like I should fall down.”
He indicated that they are waiting for the final medical report from the hospital authorities to prove whether or not Mr Ofosu was physically assaulted by the police.
The police commander described as untrue the allegation by Mr Ofosu that the police are putting pressure on the Amasaman Government hospital authorities to write on his medical report that that he was bought to the hospital with stomach pains.
STORY: KORYEKPOR AWLESU FREEMAN
