Accra: Mr. Ibrahim Mahama, an artist and founder of Red Clay Studios and the Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art, has announced his intention to pursue legal action against the Ghana Police Service following an alleged assault by some police officers. Mr. Mahama stated that the legal action aims to hold the officers accountable and protect other citizens from similar incidents.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Mahama shared his decision during a press conference in Tamale, where he detailed the assault and his resulting physical injuries. The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday, March 21, after Mr. Mahama and his family attended Eid-ul-Fitr prayers in Tamale. They traveled in a bus branded with Red Clay, initially intending to pray at the Ambariyya Mosque but diverted to St. Paul's School, Tamale, due to the conclusion of prayers at the former location.
Upon reaching St. Paul's School, heavy traffic prompted Mr. Mahama to instruct his family to proceed for prayers while he and his uncle sought a parking spot. Post-prayers, his uncle suggested they leave before the dispersing crowd exacerbated the traffic situation. As they navigated towards a T-junction near Mariam Hotel, they attempted to make room for a red bus carrying children but were confronted by police vehicles blocking the path.
Mr. Mahama recounted that police officers, wearing vests from the Black Maria unit, aggressively demanded drivers move back. When his uncle attempted to explain the traffic situation, the officers reportedly insulted him and began hitting their bus. The situation escalated when officers allegedly punched Mr. Mahama's uncle through the bus window.
As Mr. Mahama recorded the incident, officers accused him of agitation and incrimination, leading to an assault that broke his two front teeth. Subsequently, they were taken to a police station in Sakasaka, where officers demanded Mr. Mahama unlock his phone to delete evidence of the incident, which he complied with under pressure.
The assault left Mr. Mahama with bruised lips, broken teeth, and mouth sores, impacting his ability to travel for planned lectures in the United Kingdom, Helsinki, Amsterdam, and South Africa, thereby affecting his professional commitments. He called for justice and urged for the disbandment of the Black Maria unit to prevent further attacks on innocent citizens.