The Executive Director of the Ghana Centre for Democratic Governance, Prof. Henry Kwesi Prempeh has reacted to social media post by Mawuli Dake suggesting that Oliver Barker-Vormawor alleged that in the early hours of October 19, 2024, some eight (8) SWAT Police officers barged into the cell and began physically assaulting him.
According Mr. Dake, the incident occurred “Earlier in the day, he was asleep in his cell at the Regional Police Headquarters, where he had been detained for the past 4 weeks”.
He said, the leader of the Democracy Hub “was hurt and started bleeding, so they [The Police] took him to a private hospital for treatment before transferring him to his new detention center” at the Dansoman SSNIT Police Station.
Commenting under Mr. Dake’s post, Prof. Prempeh said “What at all is wrong with Ghana Police Service? What is this continuing foolishness and abuse of power?
Read Mr. Dake’s full statement below:
ALERT:
I just visited Osagyefo Oliver Barker-Vormawor in custody at the Dansoman SSNIT Police Station, where he has been transferred from the Regional Police Headquarters. He is hurt, and physically shaken, but in high spirits.
Oliver personally recounted the following disturbing development to me.
1) Earlier in the day, he was asleep in his cell at the Regional Police Headquarters, where he had been detained for the past 4 weeks, when about 8 SWAT Police officers barged into the cell and began physically assaulting him.
2) He was hurt and started bleeding, so they took him to a private hospital for treatment before transferring him to his new detention center.
3) He was taken to a private hospital, Opoku Ware Hospital, in Dansoman where he was treated and discharged.
4) The Doctor to whom the Police took him, prescribed some medications for him. But the police did not procure these meds for him. I managed to obtain the prescription from the officers and personally got the medications for him.
5) He is currently in detention at the Dansoman SSNIT Flats Police Station. He is in bandage and told me that he was in a lot of pain.
6) He is alone in the cell. Just him.
7) I questioned the SWAT officers guarding his cell about the assault. They denied any involvement.
We demand an immediate explanation from the Ghana Police Service regarding this alarming incident. There can never be a justification for such unacceptable violations.
9) We will seek accountability for these violations, regardless of how long it takes.
The only thing more painful than seeing him in that condition behind bars is having to update his mother. She asked me, “Are you sure he’ll be safe in that cell alone, and that they won’t harm him knowing there will be no witnesses?” I told her I didn’t think they could do that. She asked me the multi-million-dollar question: “If they were able to barge into his cell with other inmates present in broad daylight to beat him up this afternoon, how can you assure me that they won’t harm him at night?”
All I could say in response was “Hmmmm.”
Oliver still believes—far more than I do in this moment—that a new Ghana is possible, where freedom, justice, and dignity reign for all.
