The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has rejected recent media reports that claimed four police officers were detained for arresting a judge for a traffic infraction as untrue and unfounded.
The police made it clear that no officers were ever held in relation to the alleged arrest of a judge in a press release signed by Superintendent Joseph Benefo Darkwah, Head of the CID’s Public Affairs Unit, and released on April 23, 2025.
Following a surge of false information circulating in the media, the statement aimed to correct the record. The police claim that a formal petition filed with the CID on April 7, 2025, by a Circuit Court Judge, is the origin of the issue.
“The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on 7th April, 2025, received a petition from a Circuit Court Judge to the effect that, on 13th December, 2024, four officers of the Adenta Divisional Police Command, led by Inspector Godwin Dey, had harassed her, assaulted her court clerk and wrongfully towed her vehicle from the frontage of the Adenta Court Complex to the Adenta Police Station”.
Superintendent Joseph Benefo Darkwah, Head of the CID’s Public Affairs Unit
The petition claims that despite reporting the incident to the Adenta Divisional Police Command shortly after it happened, the judge received no response or action to allay her concerns, so she took the matter to the CID in order to get redress.
CID’s Investigation
In response, a formal investigation into the judge’s claims was started by the police Criminal Investigative Department.
The statment disclosed that three of the officers listed in the complaint, Inspector Francis Adjei (Service No. 53349), General Sergeant Dasebre Oti Boateng (Service No. 53852), and General Corporal Jonah Ajubulisa, were invited to the CID Headquarters to provide their accounts as part of due process, according to the statement.
The CID emphasised that the officers were not under arrest or detention during this engagement and were allowed to leave the premises immediately after their statements were taken.
“There is absolutely no truth to claims that these officers were detained. These media reports are entirely false, baseless, and must be disregarded”.
Superintendent Joseph Benefo Darkwah, Head of the CID’s Public Affairs Unit
The CID also reassured the public that investigations are continuing in compliance with established protocols and that the case is being handled with the highest professionalism.
Additionally, the statement reiterated the Police administration’s dedication to maintaining discipline and justice within the service.
“The Police Administration will continue with the investigation into the case in line with the laid-down procedures.
Superintendent Joseph Benefo Darkwah, Head of the CID’s Public Affairs Unit
The statement emphasized that any misconduct reported by members of the public will be promptly investigated and appropriate action taken, even though the Administration firmly supports its officers who act within the bounds of the law.
The public has put pressure on the Ghana Police Service in recent years to purge its ranks and make sure that officers behave professionally, particularly when interacting with civilians.
This most recent episode joins an increasing number of incidents that have provoked public discussion regarding police behavior and the mechanisms in place to hold officers accountable.
Superintendent Benefo Darkwah urged the public to confirm information and abstain from disseminating unsupported rumors that might undermine trust in the nation’s legal and security systems as he concluded the release.
The CID reaffirmed its commitment to upholding due process and gave all parties involved the assurance that the investigation’s findings would be shared promptly.
The public awaits clarification as the investigation moves forward regarding the facts of what actually happened on December 13, 2024, as well as the Ghana Police Service’s plans to strengthen its internal complaint handling procedures, independent of the source of the complaint.
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