Crime & Punishment of Thursday, 16 September 2004

Source: Chronicle

Lawyer Accuses Police of Looting Client

*An Associate of Kuenyehia and Co, Lawyer J.K Attitsogbui-Amegashie, has accused some police officers of looting his client's room in her absence.

According to him, on May 30, this year, in the absence of her client, Madam Dofi Goha, a group of policemen stormed her residence and made away with a sum of 100,000 CFA Francs, a bicycle and 15 plastic chairs.

Narrating the incident to The Chronicle yesterday, the lawyer said even though the police later explained that Madam Goha was a suspect in a stealing case, they did not take only the chairs in the room away but other valuable items.

He said, " Why should my client's bicycle be carried away? What report was made about my client's bicycle before it was carried away?" He said the policemen raided his clients room should be made to answer for the whereabouts of the money quickly in order not to compel his client to take any further step.

He said on May 23, this year Madam Goha attended her mother- in- law's funeral in Gbugbla-Atigagorme in Aflao and hired 35 plastic chairs from one Mikesomor, which she used at the funeral.

He stressed that "during the funeral various drumming groups of which she was a member came and performed at the funeral and gave her funeral donations both in Cedis and CFA Francs."

Mr Attitsogbui-Amegashie said at the end of the funeral Madam Goha returned 20 of the hired plastic chairs to the owner and carried to her house the remaining 15 chairs for the refreshment of her friends and sympathizers to the funeral, to be returned later after finishing with their duties.

He emphasized that she packed the plastic chairs into one of her rooms and placed an amount of 100,000 CFA Francs of the funeral donations given to her on the eighth plastic chair before placing the remaining seven on the top.

The lawyer said on May 30, this year in the evening, some policemen who Madam Goha learned later came from the Aflao police station and one other she was told carried a gun and some other persons came to the house when she was not in.

He added that the policemen ordered the children in the house at the time to open the door of the room where the plastic chairs were packed and they carried away Madam Goha's belongings.

Mr Attitsogbui-Amegashie reiterated that when Madam Goha followed up later to the Aflao police station to find out what was happening, she was told by the crime officer that a report had been made against her that some plastic chairs stolen from Lome in Togo were bought by her, but which she denied.

He noted that the action that were taken by the Aflao police in the matter Madam Goha was alleged to be involved could be considered as harassment, as it has made her now afraid for her safety.

Police Public Relations Officer, Inspector A. K. Authur, confirmed the story from the Aflao division of the police.

He noted that the police were earnestly investigating the lawyer's claim and that very soon they would issue a report.