Akua Amoakowaa, the ex-wife of Dr Kwaku Oteng, has alleged the misuse of the police force by some wealthy individuals in Ghana to unlawfully do their bidding to abuse the poor.
According to her, rich men, in the quest to retrieve money from their debtors, use the police to unlawfully arrest and throw debtors behind bars.
Without mentioning names, the former wife of the Angel Group of Companies founder said although the core mandate of the police is to apprehend and prosecute offenders, there isn’t any clause in the constitution that states that debtors should be arrested and detained overnight.
She took to her Instagram page to make her point in a series of posts in which she tagged the Ghana Police Service.
“Some rich men in this country are using some policemen in the police service to intimidate and humiliate poor people in this country. The core mandate of the Ghana police service is to apprehend and prosecute offenders, maintain law and order, protection of life and property.
“I haven’t come across any clause in the constitution or article that says a person can be kept behind bars overnight for owing someone. I am pleading with the IGP to please educate some policemen who are being used as debt collectors to leave that in the hands of the judiciary if the person did not acquire the debt through fraudulent means.
“Owing someone is a civil case, not a criminal case. The poor should have a voice in the country. I hardly bring my issues on social media but this time, Adonko Company Ltd………”
Sally, who is a private legal practitioner, seized the opportunity to educate the public on how the law works with the system of collection of debts.
To her, such matters fall under civil law and as such, it shouldn’t be treated as a criminal case to the extent the police would be made to either become ‘debt collectors’ or forcefully keep debtors in cells overnight or for days.
