• 07 Nov, 2024
• Classic Ghana
• No comment

Police brutality traumatised me – woman reveals torture ordeal

Judith Yaa Kumah, a 21-year-old woman, has come forward to share the severe trauma she endured after allegedly being tortured by a police CID officer. 

The young woman alleged that Detective Corporal Clement Suputour subjected her to brutal treatment following her arrest, leaving her both physically and emotionally scarred.

Kumah said the ordeal had caused her immense mental distress, leading to stigmatization and social isolation. 

She claimed she has become a victim of both public humiliation and emotional turmoil, struggling with the aftermath of the abuse.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Kumah shared that she had become a “laughing stock” and was now confined to her home due to the trauma.

“I am overwhelmed and need help to clear my name and rebuild my life,” she said.

Judith, a promising musician, was found to be heavily pregnant when GNA visited her and her mother at their home.

As of October 29, 2024, she was ten months and over a week pregnant, but still had not delivered by November 5, 2024, when GNA last checked in.

In February 2024, Kumah was arrested on suspicion of being involved in a robbery, after her boyfriend was taken into police custody in connection with a fight.

Judith claims she was detained, handcuffed, and interrogated without being informed of the charges.

During the interrogation, she alleged that Detective Suputour used pliers to violently cut off the upper part of her right ear.

Despite her severe injury, Kumah was not sent to the hospital immediately and was kept in police custody for nearly a month before being granted bail.

Kumah was eventually discharged on August 1, 2024, when the police failed to present any supporting evidence for the robbery charge.

According to the police, they had CCTV footage of the crime, but this evidence was never shown in court.

The case was dismissed, and Judith was released after spending nearly a month in custody, much of it in solitary confinement.

Following her release, Kumah said that the police had promised her compensation, including plastic surgery to repair the damage to her ear, and disciplinary action against the officer responsible.

However, to date, she claimed the police had shown no interest in following through on those promises.

She has since appealed to the public, human rights organizations, and civil society groups to assist her in seeking justice for the abuse she suffered.

“This could happen to anyone,” Kumah said, emphasizing the need to put an end to police brutality.

Kumah’s mother, Mary Zokah, expressed concern about her daughter’s mental health.

She said that Kumah had become mentally unstable, unable to hear properly, and often required loud shouting to get her attention.

Zokah, a teacher, also revealed that her own job had been affected by the situation, as she now had to care for kumah and her family, relying on the support of friends and relatives.

Kumah was initially charged in connection with the robbery of a Peugeot Landtrek pickup truck, valued at GHC 400,000, from the premises of Silver Star Auto Limited and Japan Motors in Tema.

She was accused of being part of a six-person gang, including her boyfriend and others, who allegedly stole the vehicle in a coordinated attack on January 30, 2024.

The police arrested two other suspects, Ebenezer Kwabo and Kofi Mensah, in February 2024.

According to the police, Kumah played a role in keeping watch while the others carried out the robbery.

She was charged and brought before the Ashaiman Circuit Court on March 1, 2024, along with Kwabo and Mensah.

The case was later struck out on August 1, 2024, as the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence, including the CCTV footage they claimed to had.

Additionally, the key complainant, Michael Koomson from Japan Motors, failed to appear in court several times, which led to the dismissal of the charges.

Source: GNA