IGP Orders Decongestion Of Cells
Thursday February 11, 2010
By Francis Asamoah Tuffour
THE Inspector General of Police (IGP) Paul Quaye, has ordered regional, divisional and district police commands to decongest all cells within their jurisdiction and ensure that they are well managed.
He further instructed that trivial cases that are brought to their notice are dealt with expeditiously and where necessary, grant bail to offenders without necessarily putting the suspect behind bars.
The Director of Police Public Affairs Directorate, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Samuel Kwesi Ofori, told the Times yesterday that the directive followed the suffocation of two inmates at the Ashaiman police station and the collapse of four others at the weekends allegedly due to intense heat and over crowding in the cell.
DSP Ofori said in cases like assault, civil and other minor cases that could attract bail, the police or station masters should not hesitate to do so as early as possible in the bid to decongest the cells.
With respect to people who have been convicted DSP Ofori said the police should ensure that such persons are sent to prison except in cases where the court directs that they should be kept in cells.
DSP Ofori noted that though it is the right of police to arrest, detain and search suspects for investigation purposes, they should not take delight in detaining people adding that detention should not be used as a tool for punishment.
‘Though we have the statutory power to arrest and detain suspects, the police should not use it capriciously’, he said.
He said in instances where the law made it clear that the person should assist the police in investigations, that person could be put at any of the police cells to facilitate movement and the investigation process.
DSP Ofori admitted that cells in Accra Central, Kaneshie, Ashaiman, Striking Force, Kumasi and other regional police capitals could be congested due to the crime rate but efforts must be made to grant them bail or put the suspects before court as early as possible.
He appealed to station officers to use their discretionary powers well by ensuring that people are not unduly kept in the cells whole those due for court are dealt with dispatch.
DSP Ofori said station officers are to make sure that the cells are kept clean and well ventilated.
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Courts/Crime
Comments
So do the police new about the above directives noted by DSP Ofori, then whosever on duty should brought to book for the deliberate action by the officer(s) incharge on that fateful day. We should not wait for unforeseen circumstances happen before measures are put in place to rectify situations, this is human life one must known.