Ten police officers have filed a lawsuit seeking a court order to prevent the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) from transferring them from their current posts.
The officers, led by Sergeant David Ojeyim, allege that the transfer directive issued by the Police Administration is baseless and unjustified.
According to court documents, the officers were recruited for an intelligence-gathering operation under the direction of Deputy IGP Christian Tetteh Yohuno.
Despite the transfer orders, Deputy IGP Yohuno allegedly instructed the officers to defy the directive and remain at their current posts.
The officers have been interdicted pending a service inquiry, but the disciplinary process is on hold until the High Court resolves the ongoing judicial review.
Sergeant Ojeyim, the deponent noted that “pursuant to its powers to by way of constitutional instrument to make regulations for the performance of its functions and the efficient administration of the Ghana Police Service, the Police Council made the Police Service Regulations 2012 (C.I. 76) on August 15, 2012, to among other things provide for the creation of directorates and the assignment and delegation of roles.
“That, consistent with our duties as personnel of the Ghana Police Service assigned to PID, ASP Alhaji Jalil Bawa communicated to me that, the instruction of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, for me to organise a team to undertake an assignment on intelligence gathering.
“This was on September 26, 2024. In line with the instruction and directive given by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, I enlisted the following men with myself and all the other Applicants inclusive-to undertake the said assignment on intelligence gathering:
a. Sergeant Prince Owusu Fayosey
b. Sergeant Seidu Essilfie
c. Sergeant Alex Abah
d. Corporal John Yao Adzimagbor
e. Corporal Micheal Kwasi Avuyi
f. Corporal Huudu Muhammed Wumbe,
g. Corporal Kabiru Mohammed
h. Corporal Hannah Antwi- Boasiako
i. Sergeant Prince Owusu Fayosey.
j. IC/Inspector Alexander Odoi
“Further to the above, a meeting was held at the residence of ASP Alhaji Jalil Bawa on September 27, 2024, for a briefing on the scope of the assignment. At the meeting, all the enlisted men were present with the exception of Sergeant Prince Owusu Fayosey, Corporal Micheal Avuyi and Corporal Huudu Muhammed Wumbe. Sergeant Seidu Essilfie, the personal driver to the Deputy Chief of Staff at the Presidency also joined the meeting albeit at the end.
“After the briefing, ASP Alhaji Jalil Bawa tasked me to create a WhatsApp platform to enhance smooth and effective communication for the team assembled for the assignment. The platform was created on that same day and the names of the personnel enlisted to undertake the assignment were added.
The deponent noted that on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at about 1400 GMT, the Staff Officer ASP Mr. Julius Elemawusi Zodanu called me to his office. There, he informed me that DCOP Mr Frederick Kwadwo Agyei had brought in a transfer signal from the Headquarters and had been tasked with warning me since my name was on the transfer list.
“I received the said transfer signal letter and signed same to acknowledge receipt. On taking the signal, I realised that all the men who had met at the residence of ASP/Alhaji Jalil Bawa and those added to the WhatsApp platform had been affected by the transfer with the majority of the personnel transferred to remote areas in Upper West, Upper East and the Western Regions. Only one person in the name of Sergeant Alex Abah had been transferred to the National Operations Department at the Headquarters.”
“Since the team enlisted for the assignment was at the direction and instruction of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, we informed him on October 2, 2024, of the transfer signal wherefore he directed us not to comply with same as it was dubious and without any justification. He further directed us to make an entry into the station diary which we complied.
“Consequently, he together with, Inspector Hamid Zakariah at about 2150 hours GMT went to the reception of the Police Intelligence Directorate and made the necessary entries in the Station Diary as directed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police indicating our failure to comply with the transfer signal.
“On 3rd October 2024 at about 1100 hours GMT, the Staff Officer/PID called to inform me that he had an important message for me. When I enquired where the message came from, he told me it was from the Chief Staff Officer. After talking to him on the phone, I quickly rang Inspector Hamid Zackariah, and he told me he had also been called by the Staff Officer to report for an important message.
“The two of us met with the Staff Officer at his office where he invited the Acting Station Officer, Chief Inspector Maxwell Atiiru, as a witness before he started reading a message to us. As soon as he started reading, we requested that he give us the letter or a copy thereof since the content was for us, but he said there was no copy available for us,” he further stated.
Sergeant Ojeyim said the rest of the applicants were later communicated to about their interdiction.
