The Police Administration has directed the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) to investigate the Accra Shopping Mall theft incident.
Three girls were on Monday forced to crawl out of the Accra Mall for allegedly stealing underwear from Mr. Price, a clothing shop at the mall.
Videos and photographs of the act which have since gone viral on the various social media sites have received mixed reaction from the public.
A statement signed by the Director- General of Public Affairs, Rev. David Nenyi Ampah-Bennin indicated that the “police administration condemns in no uncertain terms the abuse of rights and humiliation of three students caught for alleged shop lifting”
It further indicated that whilst the Criminal and other offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 Act 30, Section 12 (1) stipulates that “A private person may arrest without warrant a person who in the presence of that private person commits
- An offence involving the use of force or violence;
- An offence by which bodily harm is caused to another person;
- An offence in the nature o stealing or fraud;
- An offence involving injury to public property; or
- An offence involving injury to property owned by, or in the lawful care or custody, of that private person”, Section 14 (1) of the same Act states that “A private person who, without a warrant, arrests another person shall without unnecessary delay hand over the person so arrested a Police Officer or, in the absence of a Police Officer, shall take the arrested person to the nearest Police Station.”
In that regard, it advised the public to be mindful of their rights and responsibilities, with regard to arrest, under the law and desist from meting out “instant justice” to persons they suspect to have committed offences.
By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana