The Human Rights Division of the High Court in Accra has ruled that the Ghana Police Service violated the rights of journalists and protesters during the #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstration held in September 2023.
In a judgment delivered on Thursday, May 14, the court ruled in favour of journalist Bridget Otoo and two other applicants in a case against the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney-General.
Presiding judge, Justice Nana Brew, described the conduct of police officers during the protest as unconstitutional, stating that officers who were expected to protect demonstrators instead subjected them to assault, unlawful detention, and intimidation.
The court heard that Bridget Otoo was assaulted during the protest, with officers allegedly tearing her blouse, while another applicant, Vanessa Edotom Boateng, was unlawfully detained and had her mobile phone seized to prevent her from recording incidents of brutality.
A third applicant, George Gyening Anyang, was reportedly beaten while livestreaming events at a regional police station. The judgment stated that he was assaulted with slaps, punches, a metallic belt, and a baton.
Justice Brew ruled that the actions of the police amounted to violations of the applicants’ fundamental human rights and criticised what he described as abuse of authority by law enforcement officers.
The court awarded the applicants GH¢100,000 in compensatory damages, GH¢50,000 in general damages, and GH¢30,000 in legal costs. It also ordered the Ghana Police Service to publish an unqualified apology in the Daily Graphic.
Lawyer for the applicants, Samson Lardy Anyenini of A-PARTNERS@LAW, had requested higher legal costs due to the nearly two years the case spent in court. However, Justice Brew declined the request, saying excessive penalties could negatively affect the operations of the police service.
The court also referenced previous cases involving allegations of police abuse, including the Solomon Joojo Cobinah case, while expressing hope that the current leadership of the Ghana Police Service would work to better protect the rights of journalists, activists, and citizens.
The #OccupyJulorbiHouse protest gained national attention in September 2023 as demonstrators protested against economic hardship, governance concerns, and corruption, with several participants reporting arrests, assaults, and intimidation by security officers.