Bridget Otoo, along with two other persons, have initiated legal proceedings against the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General.
The lawsuit stems from an alleged assault they faced from police officers during the #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstration last year, as per credible sources.
The petitioners, which include Metro TV host Vanessa Edotom Boateng and George Agyening Anyang, are requesting the protection of their fundamental human rights as outlined in various sections of the constitution.
Legal documents indicate that they are being represented by Samson Lardy Anyenini, Esq. This legal action seems to be in response to a similar lawsuit filed by Democracy Hub, the organizers of the #OccupyJulorbiHouseDemo, who have also taken legal steps against the police for alleged human rights violations.
Bridget Otoo, formerly of TV3 and currently with Metro TV discussed her experience during the #OccupyJulorBiHouse event, which saw the arrest of over 40 protesters in the video that circulated online in 2023.
The vocal newscaster was beaten and her dress was ripped apart when she joined the protesters to register their grievances at the ruling government for the abysmal manner in which they have handled the country so far.
She claimed that she did not go beyond the protest’s regulations; rather, she was merely advocating for a mother whose son was misidentified as a protester while playing basketball and was brought into custody.
“When I got here, I heard they had been dispersed, some had been arrested so I decided to go the Accra Regional Police Station and I saw some people here.
“A woman approached me whose son has been arrested but isn’t a protester, apparently her son came to play basketball and the police saw him around the environs of 37 Military Hospital and arrested him.
“So the woman was only asking me to help her son be granted bail for any crime he committed.”
Giving more details, she stressed, “Even murderers and fraudsters in this country are bailed; what did these people do that they can’t be granted bail? Their lawyers are there; they’re not even letting them go in”.
She also recalled how a police officer would randomly pick out a person so they could be assaulted.
“While we were sitting there, one police officer, he would come out and pick people and assault them. You don’t need to do anything, they’ll just pick you.
“I was holding a guy’s phone, he was live on Twitter; now X and I was talking in the space because a question was asked on what was happening on the demonstration grounds.
“While I was talking and holding his phone, the police charged at us for doing absolutely nothing, attacking him. He ripped my bag and they pulled my dress and now I have a ripped dress,” she lamented.
See details of the lawsuit below:
