John Jinapor, the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, has officially requested that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) investigate the assault on Ministry staff by some police officers. He has condemned the officers’ actions as unacceptable and contrary to the core principles of law enforcement.
This was revealed by the Ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Richmond Rockson, during an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, where he also condemned the incident.
According to Rockson, the Minister has submitted a formal complaint and voiced his dissatisfaction with how the police handled the situation.
“The Minister has written directly to the IGP to request an investigation into the incident, as well as to the Attorney General’s office for prompt action,” Rockson explained. “A formal complaint has been filed, and the Minister has made it clear that he strongly disapproves of what transpired.”
Rockson emphasized that the police officers involved, including members from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and the Emergency Response Unit, acted well outside acceptable conduct, even if the exchange had been verbal.
“Even if someone insults you, as a police officer, you are not supposed to respond in such a manner. What happened was completely unacceptable, and the Minister finds it reprehensible,” he said.
The PRO also made it clear that the Minister is committed to ensuring those responsible face consequences.
“He will ensure that those accountable are properly sanctioned. No citizen should ever be subjected to the kind of treatment that Ministry staff endured,” Rockson added.
Furthermore, Rockson stressed that law enforcement officers are required to follow due process, not resort to violence.
“You cannot just assault members of the public like that. Even if someone is behaving poorly, there are lawful ways to arrest them. Insulting someone is not a crime that justifies violence,” he explained.
Rockson also revealed that the officers who allegedly carried out the assault later arrested and transported the victims to the Police Hospital under the pretense of conducting investigations.
He concluded by urging all security agencies to maintain professionalism in their work.
“We must never treat citizens in this manner. The police are there to protect the public, not to brutalize them,” Rockson said.
The incident reportedly began when Ministry workers encountered a pickup truck blocking part of the road, preventing a bus from merging onto the main highway. After the bus passed, a passenger allegedly confronted the pickup driver about the obstruction.
