Police Officer Of Midland Saga Faces Court Today

Lance Corporal Frederick Amanor, the Police Officer, captured on video beating a client of Midland Savings and Loans Company is expected to be arraigned today [Monday].

Frederick Amanor was arrested on Friday after the video of the police brutality went viral on social media.

The incident sparked public outrage and drew condemnation from Amnesty International, Ghana Bar Association, the Ministry for Gender Children and Social Protection and a number of civil society organizations.

The woman, Patience Osafo, was reportedly trying to withdraw money after office hours due to frustrations from the bank.

A police officer assaulted her for refusing to leave the banking hall of Midland Savings and Loans with her grandchild.

Patience Osafo subsequently lodged a formal complaint at the Legon Police Station after she was led to do so due to the huge public interest in the case.

Already, Frederick Amanor has been interdicted and his uniform and all other police accouterments taken from him, pending internal disciplinary proceedings.

 

BACKGROUND

Going into the background of the incident, it is said that, from Tuesday, July 17, 2018, the company’s network, managed by an information technology company, went down until the evening of Thursday, June 19, 2018.

Public Relations Officer of the financial institution said whiles, it was still serving its customers during the period, its back-up system also got very slow, making it impossible to facilitate transactions as quickly as possible.

However, upon refusal to access her money to her,she refused on going home without her money insisting she need it for survival of herself and her three children. The police officer on duty at the banking hall was then asked to drag her out of the banking hall. On that base, the only process for the security officer was to beat,assault and abuse her human right to the low level.

Meanwhile, Ms Osafo got a presidential mention last weekend when President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo condemned the assault meted out to her.

The President, while on a tour of the Northern Region, said: “I want to say it here that policemen are meant to protect citizens and not assault them.”

He said the Inspector General of Police (IGP) had his support to sanction the erring officer, as well as ensure that the incident did not happen again.

“I support 100 per cent the measures that he has taken, so that we can stop these incidents from proliferating,” the President said in response to a statement from the Police Service that steps had been taken to bring L/Cpl Amanor to book.

Donations

The victim, who is reported to be a mother of three, with a grandchild from a daughter who has epilepsy, became a star in less than two hours after the video was leaked.

She has since that time been receiving cash and food donations running into more than GH¢20,000 cedis.

The newly elected Women’s Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Madam Kate Abena Gyamfua, has presented GH¢5,000, rice, oil and other food items to Ms Osafo, while the Manhyia North MP, Mr Collins Owusu-Amankwah, has also donated GH¢2,000.

Others have donated baby milk, diapers and food items to the victim.

Apology

Meanwhile, L/Cpl Amanor’s family and the management of Midland Savings and Loans Ltd have rendered an unqualified apology to the victim.

The policeman’s family has pleaded with Ghanaians to forgive L/Cpl Amanor, since what he did in the video was unusual of him.

The incident has since sparked public outrage and attracted condemnation from the IGP, the ministries of the Interior and Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), among others.