15-year old boy arrested for defacing the posters of president John Mahama

The father of a 15-year-old boy is questioning the circumstances under which his son was arrested and detained in a police cell for a day for allegedly defacing the posters of president John Mahama of Ghana.

The boy whose name has been withheld was picked up by Customs officials on Sunday evening, handed over to the Atimpoku Police in the Eastern Region detained for a night and was released late Monday afternoon.

The boy alleged he was beaten up by the Customs officials before he was thrown into the police cells. He has since been feeling pains in his leg after he was allegedly hit with batons.

The father, Isaac Kwarteng, who resides in Tema, told myjoyonline.com he was at home, Sunday evening when he got the news about the arrest of his son. He said he was alarmed and quickly called his mother (the boy's grandmother) who was taking care of his son in Atimpoku but the woman was in tears and couldn't speak.

He had to move to Atimpoku but that would not stop his son from being detained, he said. It took the intervention of the Assembly man of the area for the 15-year-old boy to be released but that was after he had spent the night in cells.

Mr Kwarteng said the arrest and treatment meted out to his son were unjust.

Background

The minor said he and his two friends saw parts of the posters defaced on walls close to the Adomi Bridge and they also decided to tear the other part.

He said they were playing with the torn posters when two Customs Officials appeared on the scene chased and arrested him around 7:00 pm Sunday evening. The two others  escaped.

He said he was thrown into the police cell where he spent the night alone crying all night.

"When they sent me into the cell they locked me up. I was in the cell alone. i cried all night," he said, adding, "i didn't eat in the night" because he did not  feel like eating.

According to him, the police suspected that he was sent to deface the posters of president John Mahama and vowed to send him to court. He denied being sent by anyone but admitted tearing part of the already torn posters. He said he did not know tearing posters was a crime.

Under the country's electoral laws "It is an offence to destroy, remove or disfigure campaign materials of other candidates or parties."

Several attempts by the grandmother of the minor to have him released from police failed.

He was later released Monday afternoon around 3:00 pm after the intervention by the Assembly man in the area.

The JHS two student of VRA Complex, who is also a footballer, is yet to go to the hospital or see a psychologist.

Several attempts to have the Atimpoku Police speak to the matter failed. Chief Inspector Ali who heads the station but on leave said he did not know about incident.

He would also not give the contact of the person who is taking temporary responsibility at the station.

The Assembly man who got the boy bailed also confirmed the matter but said the issue had been resolved amicably and would not speak to it.