Six police officers officers, two of them Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP), who are all part of the National Security apparatus, and a businessman have been arrested and dragged before an Osu District Magistrate Court over their alleged role in the killing of Ocloo Etsey.
Mr. Etsey was shot dead by the police officers who were said to have been engaged in an unauthorised operation. L/Cpl Kwame Boatey, ASP G.B. Luri, ASP Razak Musah Basukumah, L/Cpl Mohammed Abdul Hannan, Constable Emmanuel Asante, Constable Daniel Aziale and Sulemana Mohammed Sanni have been charged with abetment of a criminal offence, namely murder, contrary to Section 20 (1) and 46 of the Criminal Offences Act 29/60.
According to facts of the case, on February 6 2010, the 7th suspect, Sulemana Mohammed Sanni, a businessman and resident of Kokomlemle in Accra, reported to ASP Razak Basumukah of the National Security apparatus that landguards were harassing workers at his building site at Ablajei near Abokobi.
Upon receiving the complaint, ASP Razak Musah called ASP Luri of the Accra Regional Police Headquarters and four other police officers, including L/Cpls Kwame Boatey, Mohammed Abdul Hannan, Constables Asante and Daniel Aziale, all attached to the National Security Police Unit, to join him for the operation.
Having organized themselves, the gang of six boarded a service vehicle, with Sulemana Mohammed Sanni leading them to the site. At the site the complainant identified three persons; Thomas Kudayah, Paul Aneglo and the victim, Ocloo Etsey, as the landguards.
A struggle ensued between the police officers and the alleged landguards, whereupon L/Cpl Kwame Boatey, armed with a 9mm caliber pistol, pulled the trigger, fatally injuring the victim who dropped to the ground as he bled profusely. He was pronounced dead upon reaching the Police Hospital.
The suspects, except the second accused, ASP G.B. Luri, appeared before Emmanuel Bart Plange Brew, the Magistrate, who granted them bail after a brief legal argument over whether they deserved it or not. They are expected to appear in court on March 19, 2010.
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