The Ghana Police Service says it is unable to trace one Dr. Patrick Asiedu who made a wild claim in a widely circulated audio tape, alleging serious unprofessional conduct of some police officers.
Preliminary investigations have also not been able to authenticate the content of the said tape, the police said.
The 9 minutes 19 seconds tape, starts with a man introducing himself as Dr. Patrick Asiedu who went on to alleged that whilst on his way home, some police officers accosted him and planted substances suspected to be narcotics in his vehicle.
He claimed the unnamed police officers attempted to extort money from him but he resisted and fiercely denied assertions by the officers that he was carrying narcotics.
He alleged the police demanded GHC20,000 bribe in order to set him free.
However, he said it took the intervention of his brother serving in the Ghana army, whom he had placed a call to, and his colleagues to overpower and arrest the police officers.
It is not clear when the incident happened, but a press release by the police on Tuesday evening said checks at the police stations mentioned in the tape as well as the Narcotics Control Commission suggest that nothing of that sort happened.
“As part of the investigation, the Police have also contacted the Narcotics Control Commission and the Ghana Armed Forces and both institutions have indicated that no such incident has come to their attention,” the release by ACP Grace Ansah-Akrofi, Director of Police Public Affairs said.
It further stated, “The investigation is still ongoing, and so far, all efforts to identify the victim of the alleged incident, the said Dr Patrick Asiedu have been unsuccessful.
“We, therefore, wish to entreat the victim and any other person with relevant information on the incident to contact telephone number 0200416540, to assist the Police investigations. This is a temporary number dedicated solely to this investigation.”
The police said as it works relentlessly to become an institution worthy of respect and trust in the country, and a reference point for the rest of the world, it “will not condone any unprofessional conduct among its officers and the Service is determined to get to the bottom of this matter”.
