IGP orders interdiction of boy-flogger cop

Inspector General of Police David Asante-Apeatu has directed that the District Police Commander of Sefwi Akontombra in the Western Region, DSP/Mr. Dickson Obeng, be immediately interdicted for ordering some community police officers to flog a 14-year-old boy until he bled.

A statement signed by the Director-General of the Public Affairs Department of the Ghana Police Service, ACP David Eklu, said the IGP has also directed the Police Commander for the region to constitute a team to probe the matter and present a report in two weeks.

Stanley Antwi, a pupil of St. James Anglican Primary at Akontombra received 36 cane lashes on the orders of DSP Obeng, for fighting a mate after school.

A picture of Antwi with cane injuries on his back is making waves on social media.

The father of the victim, 36-year-old farmer Enoch Tandoh, told journalists that Antwi returned from school with his uniform soaked in blood after the flogging.

Mr Tandoh said when he confronted DSP Obeng over the matter, he admitted ordering his men to flog the boy to teach him a lesson.

According to the angry father, his son was pinned to a table and flogged by the officers.

After confronting the commander, Mr Tandoh said all DSP Obeng could tell him was to take his son home and apply shea butter on the wounds.

The victim’s parent took him to the hospital for treatment.

Mr Tandoh is pleading with human rights activists to help him get justice for his son.