Missing Driver and Companion – Human Rights Advocacy Center

General News of Friday, March 22, 2019

Source: yen.com.gh

2019-03-22

Police say they do not know where the bus driver and his train conductor who recently badaulted a police officer, according to a group known as the Human Rights Advocacy Center (HRAC).

The human rights group said the Odorkor district police and police headquarters in Accra denied having detained the defendants.

HRAC is currently working with the Automobile Dealers Association and the Driver Association to provide legal badistance to the driver and his companion.

"An investigator at the [Odorkor Police] Agent Jonas from the station informed us that the accused had been transferred to the police headquarters, "HRAC Executive Director Cynthia Ampredu-Nimo said in a statement.

The group said during an investigation at the police headquarters, that they "were informed that the police headquarters did not maintain detention cells for remand prisoners and that the defendants do not could not be in their custody.

"We are with this statement, drawing the attention of the general public, to the fact that we do not know where the two defendants are," added Cynthia Ampredu-Nimo.

The group described the police's attitude as "an obvious violation" of the defendants' right to legal representation, enshrined in the 1992 constitution.

They therefore wrote to the Inspector General of Police to "demand immediate access to the accused so that we can provide them with legal representation".

The driver, Francis Buabeng, and his companion, Albert Ansah, are scheduled to appear in court on April 1, after being remanded in custody.

The two men were filmed hitting a policeman after a dispute over the road from Weija to Kasoa.

They have since been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and causing unlawful damage, although they have pleaded not guilty.