Police lied about Islamic SHS incident – Defence and Interior Committee of Parliamen

The Interior and Defence Committee of Parliament has exposed the police for giving a false narration of the incident that occurred at the Islamic Senior High School in the Ashanti Region.

It has therefore recommended the House sets up a bipartisan committee to probe further.

The Committee was tasked by the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon. Alban S.K. Bagbin to probe the chaos that saw police ‘enter the school premises and fire tear gas at students.

A number of the students collapsed and had to be treated at the hospital.

Chairman of the Committee, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, who presented the report to the House on Thursday, July 21, 2022, disclosed the information they got from the school authorities was different from what the Ghana Police gave.

The Committee, he said, engaged the police at the centre of the incident but realized the inspector was not forthcoming with his answers.

“When I was asking questions I realized the Inspector was reluctant. I asked several times, did you the police officers enter the campus, they all said no.”

“We couldn’t probe further, however, as the referral had a limit. So we ended there when we realized they were not telling us the truth and were not giving us the whole picture.”

“That is why we came back asking the Speaker to set up a bipartisan committee and give them another opportunity to investigate further so they can question the police very well.”

Mr. Ken Agyapong disclosed the Committee was also tasked to consider compensation but noted the Speaker’s referral was not limited only to the Islamic SHS but goes back to 1992, which makes it a bit daunting.

He, however, assured they have started something, which could provide a basis for further work on these matters.

According to him, 38 students were injured in the incident and the condition of one was so serious that she still finds it difficult to breathe adding, “And they didn’t have money so I gave her GH¢5,000 to go to the hospital for further check-up.”

The Committee, he said, cannot, however, determine the amount of compensation to be given to the affected individuals.

The Committee recommended the Urban Roads Director in the Region be relieved of his post because evidence showed the Headteacher of the school had been officially complaining about the situation since 2012 with the latest letter being delivered in September 2021.

According to him, the current Director may not have been in office when the school started petitioning the authorities but stressed that is why the Committee recommended the Director who was in office as of September 5, 2021, be sanctioned.