The former boss of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Francis Emile Short, has expressed concern of police brutality following Joy News’ latest documentary, “As If We Weren’t Human,” a riveting account of officers and military personnel brutally killing and torturing civilians. 

He said the lack of adequate training is to blame for how they handle protestors during demonstrations but regular guidance for the force will help improve the situation.

“It appears to me that the police have not been trained properly to exercise right judgment when it comes to dealing with protestors for example.

“We need to have workshops for the police and educate them on citizens’ rights and the Human Rights contained in Chapter five of the constitution,” he added.

In one of the cases featured in Joojo Cobbinah’s documentary, police and military officers deployed to Foase in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of Ashanti Region during protests in February 2018, allegedly killed four protestors who were part of a protest on the relocation of the district capital from the town to neighbouring Twidie.

Many other residents sustained debilitating injuries when the officers who were sent to maintain peace and protect lives and property, turned on them.

One of the residents who was shot in the spine is bedridden but the perpetrators are yet to be brought to book.

At Abokobi, a suburb of Accra, Joojo also spoke to a young man who is now unable to speak after police officers shot at him during a disturbance in the area.

The bullet penetrated through the right and went out through the left of Allias Adjei Agjetey Anum’s head. His wife now speaks for the young man who was enjoying his prime until the unfortunate event occurred.

His family and leaders in the community have reported the incident to the police Command but six months after the incident, nothing has been done. No one has been arrested and there are no answers for Allias and his family.

These and many more cases have been catalogued in the documentary which will be aired on Joy FM on November 29.

Justice Short believes that, had the police had proper education these incidents will not occur.

He stressed the need for the Force to be educated on “issues relating to arrests and treatment of citizens when they are arrested.”

A human rights lawyer, Francis-Xavier Sosu says the only solution to the problem is if perpetrators are brought to book.

“I believe that when it happens, the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Staff and all the people who are concerned need to crack the whip.

“In a country like ours, the military and police cannot stand alone. We have institutions like the judiciary and the courts who are supposed to hold that balances,” he added.