Ex-wife of business mogul Dr. Kwaku Oteng has accused some officers of the Ghana Police Service of usurping their duties by unlawfully executing the bidding of some rich men in the country.
In a series of post on Instagram, Sally Akua Amoakwaa alleged that some officers are used as debt collectors by some well-to-do men in the country to intimidate and humiliate poor people.
Although she shied away from revealing names, she noted that these unwarranted duties do not fall within the core mandates of officers of the Ghana Police Service.
“Some rich men in this country are using some police men in the police service to intimidate and humiliate poor people in this country. The core mandate of the Ghana police service is to Apprehend and prosecute offenders, Maintaining of law and order, Protection of life and property.
“I haven’t come across any clause in the constitution or article that says a person can be kept behind bars overnight for owing someone,” her Instagram post read.
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The Private Legal practitioner further explained that owing debt is a civil case and not a criminal one, hence police officers cannot be used as debt collectors to arrest and detain persons who owe debt.
“The “collection of debts” properly falls under the ambit of Civil Law. It is not a Criminal offence for which the Police are called to perform their duties under the laws of Ghana.
“In the Indian case of G.B.C. Raj Gopal v The Government of A.P., the court held that the function of resolving civil disputes is entrusted to the judiciary. Police officers lack jurisdiction to interfere in civil/property disputes between two citizens. Even in criminal cases, their role is limited to the registration of complaints and conducting investigations.
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“In the Nigerian case of Nwadiugwu v IPG & Ors the appeal court maintained that the police are neither debt collectors nor arbitrators, and Section 24 of the Police Act 2004 does not list settlement of disputes or collection of debts amongst the duties of the Police…I rest my case,” Sally wrote.
Sally Amoakwaa urged the Inspector General of Police to call to order the action by some of his officers stressing that “we have laws in this country and the law must take its course. The police service isn’t a debt collection agency.”