An Accra High Court has ruled against the Ghana Police Service, ordering it to pay GH¢150,000 in damages for violating the fundamental rights of journalist Bridget Otoo and two others during the #OccupyJulorbiHouse protest.
The court also directed the service to cover GH¢30,000 in legal costs incurred by the applicants. The judgment, delivered on Thursday by Justice Brew, found that officers acted outside the law and breached constitutional protections guaranteed to citizens. The court noted that the conduct of the police during the protest was “unconstitutional,” citing multiple incidents involving assault, unlawful detention, and obstruction of personal freedoms.
Details presented to the court showed that Bridget Otoo was physically assaulted, with reports indicating her blouse was torn during the encounter. Another applicant, Vanessa Edotom Boateng, was unlawfully detained and had her mobile phone seized after attempting to document alleged misconduct. A third victim, George Gyening Anyang, was reportedly beaten while livestreaming at a regional police station, where officers allegedly slapped, punched, and struck him with a baton and metallic belt.
Beyond the financial compensation, the court ordered the Ghana Police Service to issue an unqualified apology in the state-owned Daily Graphic.
