Madam Nyonkopa Daniels, Executive Director of Peace Watch Ghana, has addressed the recent wave of arrests involving police officers implicated in various criminal activities.
She emphasized that “bad nuts” within the Ghana Police Service continue to undermine its integrity, dignity, and professional standards.
While acknowledging these systemic issues, she expressed strong support for the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and his ongoing efforts to weed out individuals who tarnish the reputation of the service.
A significant portion of her critique focused on substance abuse and corruption within the ranks.
Madam Daniels affirmed that some officers are heavily involved in the use of illicit drugs, often misappropriating narcotics seized from crime scenes to fuel their personal addictions.
During an interview on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM’s Frontline, she detailed her observations regarding this trend.
“I subscribe to the claims that some officers use hard drugs. It is totally true. Some officers even take some drugs which are retrieved from suspected drug peddlers. I knew a particular officer who always had ‘wee’ in the fridge in his office which he consumed. He was in Accra and has been transferred to Kumasi. So, as for the drugs, some officers are into it brutally. Some of them even steal these drugs and sell them to make money.”
Despite these revelations, she lauded the leadership of the police administration, specifically praising the dedication of the authorities to internal cleansing. She noted that the current leadership is committed to removing corrupt elements and has been effective in apprehending armed robbers who terrorize the public.
“The IGP, Christian Tetteh Yohuno, is a dedicated man committed to weeding out the bad nuts from the service.”
Madam Daniels expressed particular revulsion regarding two high-profile cases in the Ashanti Region.
The first involves Inspector Bright Appiah Dankwah, who was interdicted after an intelligence-led operation linked him to a robbery targeting a mobile money vendor in Kumasi.
The second case involves Inspector Desmond Owusu Afriyie, who is currently under investigation for the alleged defilement and incest of his 14-year-old daughter.
Madam Daniels condemned these acts as a stain on the legacy of the many distinguished men and women who serve honorably.
“It is very sad that a police officer will engage in mobile money robbery. He has disgraced the Ghana Police Service because there are very distinguished men and women who have served and are still serving. I become worried when these things happen because when you have men like the IGP fighting against robbery and have officers who are also involved in crime, it is unfortunate. But thank God he has been arrested. He is a bad example for the service.”
To combat this internal rot, the Executive Director urged the Ghanaian public to remain vigilant.
She advised citizens to provide the police with any credible information that could lead to the arrest of suspected criminals, stressing that this cooperation must extend to reporting misconduct by police officers themselves.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana