The Ghana Police Service has refuted claims that the accused persons with the Democracy Hub demonstration were forcefully asked to re-enact the protest at 37 Intersection in Accra.
Democracy Hub protesters in Police Custody are said to have been transported to the 37 Military Hospital intersection and forced to “re-enact” the protest for the Police Cameras.
Currently, 53 protesters have been arrested and charged with various offenses including unlawful assembly, and have been detained in both police and prison custody.
In a statement issued on Sunday, October 6, 2024 giving an update on the issue which have attracted national attention, Lawyers for Protest Defence, said the detainees involved in the “Re-OccupyJulorbiHouse Protest,” were forced to “re-enactment of the Protest.”
However, the Police in a statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, ACP Grace Ansah-Akrofi has debunked these assertions.
According to her, “Crime scene reconstruction, as part of an investigation, is a standard practice used by law enforcement agencies worldwide and is in full compliance with our established procedures.”
“The Ghana Police Service has been using this practice since time immemorial. The Police detectives who conducted the crime-scene reconstruction are part of the officers who have been working on the investigation since the inception of this case. The claims that they are not known to the accused persons are, therefore, not true”, ACP Grace Ansah-Akrofi stated.
She continued: In accordance with standard procedures, the accused persons were informed of their right to have legal representation during the crime scene reconstruction process. Some of the accused persons opted to take part in the crime scene reconstruction process without their lawyers’ presence. Other accused persons, however, insisted on their right to their lawyers and the reconstruction process for these persons is yet to be done. It is, therefore, untrue, that the accused persons were coerced or threatened with harm, to take part in the crime-scene reconstruction.”
Attached below is the full statement
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM
