Ghana border: Police corruption, harassment, brutality, and extortion;

What Twane and colleagues should and must know.

On Saturday 09 May 2009, I was returning from a brief visit to the Aflao border where I met with my family and friends. While passing the Ghana police barrier, a police officer named Twane and other colleagues standing on the way, directed me to a small room where there were three other police officers who asked me for passport. I told them I don’t have a passport and I showed them my Togo ID card. They demanded 1000 fcfa. I paused, and said I don’t have 1000 fcfa. All of a sudden they pushed me back violently as if we’re in a fight and directed me back to where Twane and the two others were standing. Then I want straight to Twane and showed him my ID he also demanded 1000 Fcfa and I told him I don’t have it. He pushed me back the same way like the others and I asked them, why are you pushing me like that? What did I do? And he said: “you’re crazy”. Then I replied saying he’s crazier than I. Then they all started insulting me.

Believe it or not I retuned every single insult to them .i.e. I replied properly to their insult showing them that I’m not afraid of their intimidation. And as police officers they shouldn’t be demeaning themselves acting like wild beast in a jungle and frightening people at the border by extorting money from them and treating them with no respect. They shouldn’t push me the way they did on top of my own money which I refused to give. I resisted to be intimidated and frightened by them. By the way, it’s not that I don’t have 1000 fcfa to give, it’s just the fact that I refuse to corrupt them.

Which Ghana law or regulations required those police officers at our borders to ask money our citizens? And which law and regulation requires those who are crossing the border to pay them some money if they don’t have a passport? As a Togolese I don’t need a passport to go to Ghana, likewise, a Ghanaian doesn’t need a passport to come to Togo. Why all these police harassment at the Aflao border? This is happening at both sides of the border but the Ghana side is worse and it’s an organized band led by Twane and his comrades to harass, intimidate, frighten and extort money from poor citizens. This is nothing short of robbing, racketeering, or a highway corruption.

I finally saw a police officer who works at the other side of the border in Togo, and to whom I told the story. I was with my wife my baby boy who was sick. The guy brought us back to the Twane line to inquire about the matter and try to resolve the issue. The silly uneducated and narrow minded Twane refused to listen to him and simply said all the Togo people can pass but me. But, he forgot that his power of refusing me to cross the barrier, stops where he was just standing at the border. He was still standing there when I crossed the border and took a bus at the Aflao station to Korlebu teaching hospital in Accra.

I wanted to denounce these behaviors of the Ghana police whom I’m asking to be professionals who are there to protect citizens and not to harass and extort money from them. They should behave like normal human beings not as wild beast just like Twane and his companions did because of 1000fcfa. They just showed by their behaviors that they’re only worth one thousand (1000)cfa. The barbaric acts in the kind of Twane’s must stop and I urge the Ghana police department to take appropriate actions so that those who savagely pushed me because of one thousand (1000)cfa, Saturday, 09 May 2009 with Twane as a ring leader be disciplined. The image and reputation of Ghana police is being tarnished and destroyed by these uneducated and silly behaviors of the part of officers like Twane. Twane and his gang must know that they’re there to protect us not to harass and extort money from us.

I also urge my fellow citizens not to be let harassed, intimidated and robbed in any way at any border (From Ghana to Nigeria). They must resist any attempt of harassment and intimidation on the part of the police. By giving money to the police you’re contributing to the huge police corruption that we’re all denouncing. Therefore, all Ghanaian must refrain from corrupting our police officers by giving them money for no reason. Please help stamp out the corruption and stop the police harassment and brutality in the country. Ghana is supposed to be a leading example of democracy and good governance in West Africa. This good name has to transpire through every institution of police corps, and in all aspect of our social life. A police needs to be educated and well trained before being assigned a duty. Twane and his comrades have shown not only their lack of education but also a non respect and consideration to fellow human beings. That’s what the Ghana police commissioner need to tackle and seriously deal with. Otherwise, he will be leading a bunch of people who have no clue of professionalism in the police force.

Written by: Le Roi J.