By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, May 06, GNA- Minority Leader Osahen Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, has formally petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno, to launch a full investigation into an alleged unprovoked act of violence against him by a uniformed police officer.
“The incident occurred when Constable Forson deliberately struck me forcefully on the chest near my heart as I approached the barricade to present a petition. “The impact of the hit dazed me, and I was visibly shaken and short of breath,” a statement issue in Accra said.
The statement copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the attack occurred during the “Save the Judiciary” demonstration at Parliament House on Monday.
It emphasised that Osahen Afenyo-Markin, also the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Effutu’s reaction was merely a protest the alleged officer’s conduct, rejecting claims that he was the aggressor.
“What makes this assault particularly egregious is that the officer was being openly reprimanded by his superiors and fellow officers at the time, yet he defiantly responded that he didn’t care who I was,” it said.
The statement expressed concern that the officer had mysteriously disappeared from the scene after the altercation, raising suspicions about efforts to shield him from scrutiny.
“Following the presentation of the petition, senior police officers and the Deputy Marshal of Parliament attempted to locate the officer involved, but he had mysteriously disappeared from the scene,” it noted.
The Minority Leader therefore called on the police administration to take disciplinary action against Constable Forson.
“We must not be distracted from the purpose of the demonstration. We marched to defend the Constitution and the independence of the judiciary—principles that must be protected at all costs,” it asserted.
However, the Ghana Police Service has invited Osahen Afenyo-Markin for investigations into the incident.
The “Save the Judiciary” demo was a protest held in Accra on Monday, May 5, 2025, led by the NPP and other opposition parties.
The demonstration aimed to defend the independence of Ghana’s judiciary, where the protesters sought to protect the judiciary from perceived interference by the executive arm of government; and to press for reinstatement of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, who was suspended by President John Dramani Mahama on April 22, 2025, after a prima facie case was established against her.
It sought to uphold constitutional processes to ensure adherence to constitutional provisions governing the judiciary and prevent what the coalition described as an alleged “unconstitutional assault” on the judiciary.
The protest saw thousands of Ghanaians, including some dressed as Supreme Court justices, marching through John Evans Atta Mills High Street in Accra to present petitions to the Judicial Service and the presidency.
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