The executive director of the UPSA Centre for African Legal Studies at UPSA, Benedicta Lasi has said the police has the right to stop and search persons with reasonable cause and without a warrant.
Speaking on JoyNews' Super Morning Show, she said Umaru Sanda, a journalist with Accra-based Citi FM, has the right to film his interaction with the police.
She entreated the police to understand that it is the right of citizens to seek from them why they are undertaking certain actions especially when they are involved.
Mrs Ladi further explained that when someone has the cause to doubt the intent of the police officer, that citizen has within his right to film the process.
Quoting the law, she said, "a police officer may search without a warrant if he has reasonable cause to believe that a person has concealed on himself or is conveying an article which has been stolen or unlawfully obtained an article in respect of which a criminal offence has been or is being or about to be committed."
She added, "a police officer not below the rank of assistant superintendent of police or who is below the rank has been authorized in writing by an officer of the said rank may enter a house, shop, warehouse, yard, boat, vessel or other premises which the police officer has reasonable cost to believe contains a property which has been stolen or obtained by unlawful means."
According to her, watching the video of the police searching the vehicle of Mr Sanda made her realize that the citizenry did not trust the Service.
She acknowledged that many Ghanaians have had such an encounter with the Ghana Police Service.
Mrs Ladi urged the police to conduct themselves within a certain threshold that which has been specified in the law and also within their code of conduct.
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