Chief Inspector E.K. Denyo of the Ate-bubu police station, has reportedly refunded 500,000 cedis he allegedly extorted from a suspect in February before granting him bail.

This followed an order by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in its ruling on a petition of the suspect.

Chief Inspector Denyo was said to have initially demanded ¢600,000 but the suspect, Fobri Yagyafo, 38, a farmer accused of assaulting his wife’s former boyfriend, could only afford 500,000 cedis.

Denyo, who had appeared twice before the Commission after Fobri’s petition, refunded the money and dropped the assault charge against Fobri.

Atebubu-Amantin district director of CHRAJ, Nti Samuel Nyamekye Vasco, who confirmed this, said the Commission was in the process of submitting its recommendation on the matter to the Police Administration.

The District Police Commander, Keward Kwaku Adjei, too, in an interview on Tuesday, conformed the refund of the money and said "We are waiting for the CHRAJ’s recommendation."

Though Mr Vasco could not say exactly when the refund was made, he said it was about three weeks ago.

Throwing light on the incident, he said that on February 5, Fobri was in the company of his wife, Afua Ntama, 23, at the Atebubu lorry park when her former boyfriend, Yaw Kunder, 27, also a farmer bumped into them. Kunder called out Ntama’s name but Fobri asked her not to respond.

That infuriated Kunde who allegedly attacked Fobri resulting in a fierce fight between the two men.

The fight was stopped by by-standers but Kunde allegedly reported a case of assault against Fobri to the police.

According to Mr Vasco, Denyo sent four policemen to effect Fobri’s arrest.

On arrival at his house, a misunderstanding ensued and the policemen were said to have subjected Fobri to a severe beatings and damaged some of his property. They then arrested him and took him to the police station.

Mr Vasco said it was at that juncture that Denyo demanded the money from Fobri, after preferring an assault charge against him.

However, in spite of taking the money, Denyo forwarded the case to the magistrate’s court at Atebubu where the case was adjourned for about 18 times.

In June, Fobri petitioned CHRAJ on the extortion and Commission consequently summoned Denyo on June 30, but he pleaded for time to undertake a course.

While the case was suspended, he contacted a friend of Fobri’s to whom he gave 500,000 cedis to be refunded to Fobri.

He subsequently dropped the case citing lack of evidence. When the Times called Chief Inspector Denyo for his side, he declined to comment.