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There must be a rethink of how policing is done in Ghana - Adam Bonaa

By Wendy Amarteifio
demo
Law students protesting over recent mass failure
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Security Analyst, Mr Adam Bonaa has called for a review of the guidelines for the Ghana Police Service.

According to him, the police is mandated to enforce laws which also requires that the fundamental human rights of citizens are not trampled upon.

His comments follow the brutality meted out to the Law students by Police Officers during their protest in Accra yesterday.

The Ghana Police Service, in their response to the incident, stated that the police officers involved in the clash between law students during their protest acted in accordance to laid down guidelines of the Police Service.

But speaking to Starr FM, Mr Bonaa said the guidelines of the police service needs to be accessed

''The police has a duty to enforce the law and in enforcing the law requires a lot of diligence and making sure people's fundamental rights are not abused, excessive use of force not perpetrated on the people. There has to be some rethink of how policing is done in this country''. 

However, the Public Affairs Director of the Ghana Police Service ACP David Eklu said his officers used minimum force to ensure the discipline of law students during the protest

''What we did was to stop an unlawful assembly and we used all the necessary procedure. But the unintended consequences is what we don't think is an extreme use of force. That is the minimum force that we used. The first one was police presence,they were told to disperse they did not so the police had to use force. The use of the water cannon is standard minimum force''.
Reacting to the comment of the Police Service PRO, Mr Bonaa indicated that Ghana Police Service should have handled the situation better. He said the police could have negotiated with the leaders of the law students to allow them to embark on a very lawful demonstration. 

During the demonstration, police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse scores of students agitated about the latest mass failure of students in the Ghana School of Law entrance exams.

Meanwhile, the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah described the conduct of the police service in relation to the brutality as “an embarrassing spectacle and it is unacceptable.”

READ ALSO: Demo : Law students clash with police, 10 arrested (Photos)

 Law students' protest

The demonstration dubbed '#OpenUpLegalEducation' begun at the Ghana School of Law through to the Ministries and the Liberation road heading towards the Jubliee House to petition the Presidency over recent mass failure at the Ghana Law School entrance exams.

The demonstrators were halted by the police at the Sankara overpass on the Liberation road, the police stated that they will not allow the law students to proceed to the Jubilee House.

The tension became high as the police confronted the law students, they were then dispersed with a water cannon and 13 of the students were arrested.

READ ALSO: Law students' demo: Police brutality unacceptable - Oppong Nkrumah 

For over two hours the situation caused heavy traffic on the Liberation road leading to the Jubilee House.

 

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