Renowned Ghanaian visual artist Ibrahim Mahama has stressed that his demand for accountability following an alleged brutal assault by police officers is solely about justice and not financial compensation.
Mahama made the remarks on Thursday, March 26, 2026, after a closed-door meeting with the Police Management Board at the Ghana Police Service headquarters in Accra.
The meeting forms part of an ongoing high-level investigation into claims that officers from the Inspector-General of Police’s Special Operations Team, popularly known as the “Black Maria,” assaulted him and members of his team in Tamale.
Speaking to journalists after the engagement, Mahama said: “No, we are not looking for compensation. There is no way we are looking for money. Obviously, I don’t need that. It’s not about that. It’s more just about justice.”
He explained that the focus remains on establishing the full facts of the incident, which allegedly occurred on March 21, 2026, near the Mariam Hotel junction in Tamale after Eid-ul-Fitr prayers.
Mahama has consistently maintained that officers forced their way into his vehicle, deleted footage from his phone after he recorded them, and subjected him and his uncle to severe beatings that resulted in injuries, including the loss of some teeth.
“We just want to make sure people understand what transpired that day. Because we are all in the country, we are in a democracy. We want to understand what is happening and see how we can solve it,” he added.
The celebrated artist, who is the founder of the Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art (SCCA) and CEO of Red Clay, further noted that pursuing justice in the matter is crucial for public confidence in state institutions.
“So that when other people are elsewhere, and things like this happen, at least they are assured that in the country they live in, their matter will be taken seriously and there will be some kind of justice,” Mahama said.
The Police Professional Standards Bureau has been tasked with investigating the allegations, while the Inspector-General of Police invited both Mahama and the Northern Regional Police Commander to Accra to aid the probe.
The Black Maria team, led by DSP Abdul Bawa Jalil (also referred to as Bawah Abdul Jalil), has denied any involvement, insisting its personnel were not part of the incident and describing some circulating accounts as misrepresented.
Mahama has previously indicated his intention to seek legal redress if the outcome of the internal police investigation does not satisfy the demand for justice.
Police authorities have promised to provide updates on the progress of the investigations in due course.
