Ideal College petitions IGP to investigate police supervision of brutalities against students

Ideal College students clash with suspected land guards

Over 20 Ideal College students injured from assault by land guards and suspected police officers

Land guards who demolished assembly hall under construction had no legal authorization, Ideal College

The management of Ideal College has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, to investigate the violence that was unleashed on students and teachers of the school on Thursday, July 7, 2022.

According to the management of the school, a group of land guards, accompanied by men in police uniforms claiming to be from the Counter-Terrorism Unit of the Ghana Police Service, entered the premises of the East Legon branch of the school on Thursday and started the demolition of an assembly hall under construction.

“When the Director of the school sighted what was happening, he decided to confront them to know the authorisation under which the exercise was being carried. The land guards pounced on him and physically assaulted him. Some students who were witnessing what was happening rushed to the scene immediately to rescue their Director.

“These land guards and the men in police uniforms physically assaulted the students as well. This caught the attention of most of the students who also rushed to the scene to defend their colleagues,” the school said in their petition to the IGP.

The management noted that some 20 students suffered minor injuries due to the assault while three others sustained fatal wounds.

The management of Ideal College noted that students and officials of the school have been under persistent attacks by the said land guards over the past three months.

According to the management, this has affected the serenity enjoyed by students at the school, especially final year students who have a month barely to prepare for their West African Secondary School Certificate Examination.

“It is in pursuance of this that we wish to petition your noble outfit to assist redress this issue with the exigency it deserves, by investigating the involvement of the police in this heinous attack and their continuous presence on the school property which poses insecurity and fear in the students” the management said.

As part of their petition, the management of the school has called on the IGP to investigate the involvement of the police in the attack on the school,halt the operations of the land gaurds in the school and investigate their activities for possible prosecution.

“We however wish to commend the Legon Police Station for their timely intervention. You may consult them for further and better particulars,” it added.

Read the full statement below:

Dear Sir,

PETITION AGAINST POLICE SUPERVISION OF BRUTALITIES AGAINSTIDEAL COLLEGE STUDENTS

On the 7th of July, 2022, at about 12.00pm, the school was plunged into a tumultuous moment of brutality by some land guards and some suspected policemen.

A group of men suspected to be land guards came in the company of some men in police uniforms, who claim to have come from the Counter Terrorism Unit of the Ghana Police Service to demolish a structure belonging to Ideal College, Legon Branch. They came in three vehicles with registration numbers GN 2982 – 20, GN773- 14 and the other which was not captured. The invaders started demolishing with a bulldozer the structure meant for an Assembly Hall.

When the Director of the school sighted what was happening, he decided to confront them to know the authorization or court order under which the exercise was being carried. The land guards began to physically assault him.

Some students who were witnessing what was happening rushed to the scene immediately to rescue their Director. These land guards and the men in police uniforms physically assaulted the students as well. This caught the attention of other students who also rushed to the scene to defend their colleagues.

Over 20 students have suffered minor injuries whiles 3 students have been severely wounded. We are currently dealing with the ghoulish situation. There have been consistent invasion of the property by these land guards since
February, disturbing the serenity of the school.

The students have less than a month to prepare for WASSCE and cannot enjoy any effective preparation as a result of the avalanche of fear posed by the frequent presence of these land guards and the men in police uniform. It is in pursuance of this that we wish to petition your noble outfit to assist redress this issue with the exigency it deserves.

1. Investigate the involvement of the police in this heinous attack and their continuous presence on the school property which poses insecurity and fear in the students.

2. Kindly halt every operation on the school property by these land guards and men in uniform to create a serene environment for the students to prepare for their WASSCE starting on August 1.

3. Investigate the activities of the suspected land guards and prosecute them. We however wish to commend the Legon Police for their timely intervention.
You may consult them for further and better particulars.

Kindly find attached to this petition evidences of the scenes on PENDRIVE and
PRINTED copies.

…………………………
MR. NAPHTALI KYEI-BAFFOUR
(PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER).

Cc: INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE

GREATER ACCRA REGIONAL POLICE COMMANDER

COMMANDER, LEGON POLICE STATION