Renowned Ghanaian visual artist Ibrahim Mahama has said he is seeking justice, not compensation, following claims that he was assaulted by members of the Inspector General of Police’s (IGP) Special Task Force operating the “Black Maria.”

The artist made the remarks after meeting with the Police Management Board (POMAB) on Thursday, March 26, as part of ongoing efforts to investigate the incident that occurred in Tamale.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, he said he doesn't need any compensation but justice.

“We are not looking for compensation. Obviously, I don’t need that, and it’s not about that. It’s more just about justice. To make sure people understand what happened. We are all in the country, in a democracy, and we just want to understand what is happening and see how we can solve it.”

Mr Mahama explained that the purpose of the gathering was to provide the police with his account and ensure the case is handled at the highest level.

“This is the first meeting and also to understand truly what happened in Tamale last Saturday on Eid, at least from our point of view. And the IGP is taking a very serious interest in the case,” he said.

“They have moved the case from Tamale to Accra so they could deal with it at a very serious level. We’re very confident that there’s going to be some kind of justice served within this. The IGP has assured us that they’re going to deal with it at the highest level.”

When asked if he still maintains that those who attacked him were members of the IGP’s Special Operations Team, Mr Mahama said yes.

“Yes, we still maintain that. That’s why we came, and that’s why we told him our side of the story. So now it’s left with the competent men of the Ghana Police Service to do the investigations and arrive at a conclusion.”

He revealed that the IGP had assured him of a thorough inquiry. “He told us that we should be assured he’ll make sure they get to the bottom of it. That’s why he’s moved it from Tamale to the CID and also to the police headquarters, because he wants us to know that they’ve taken the matter very seriously,” he said.

When asked what kind of justice he was seeking, Mr Mahama said the outcome would be determined by the ongoing investigations and legal processes.

“We don’t know so far. If the police conclude their investigation and find that those involved are guilty, because we filed a matter through the law courts, it’s a legal situation now, and our lawyers are handling it. Whatever the court decides, that’s going to be it. Certainly, if people are found guilty, I’m sure there’ll be some jail time or other actions.”

He added that a proper resolution would also reassure citizens. “Young people around the country who believe in the government need to know that they are safe. The fact that they called us to Accra and moved the matter there shows that the police are very serious and want to make sure there’s some kind of justice,” he said.